


Walk Away

by pageofpages



Series: Walk Away Nuzlocke [1]
Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Main Video Game Series), Pocket Monsters: Ruby & Sapphire & Emerald | Pokemon Ruby Sapphire Emerald Versions
Genre: Gen, Nuzlocke Challenge, Original Pokemon Trainer - Freeform, POV Second Person, screenshot run
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-08-01
Updated: 2018-07-07
Packaged: 2018-07-28 16:06:44
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 38
Words: 62,809
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7647652
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pageofpages/pseuds/pageofpages
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“Tommy, this is going to be a great experience for all of us,” your mom says. “Trust me, Hoenn is going to be wonderful.”<br/>A Pokemon Emerald Nuzlocke told in screenshots</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Wonderful

**Author's Note:**

> This story is based on a Nuzlocke Run I did almost two years ago. I found the notes and screenshots earlier this summer and started writing.  
> Content Warnings will normally be found here chapter to chapter when needed.

_“How can I describe Hoenn?” your father murmurs. He and your mother are seated across the table from you. They’re holding hands, united._

_“It’s wonderful,” your mother says._

_“Yeah, wonderful,” your father says. With his free hand he reaches for yours. Your father’s hands are rough and calloused- if you didn’t know him you’d think he was a fighter._

_“Tommy, this is going to be a great experience for all of us,” your mom says. “Trust me, Hoenn is going to be wonderful.”_

 

Okay. Flashback time over. It’s time to take my first step.

* _You trip over a box of kitchenware and fall facefirst out of the moving van. If you were a different person you wouldn’t read this as a portent of worse things to come, but you are an eleven year old on your first day in a strange new place you don’t want to be. Everything bad thing that happens from here on out serves to satisfy your confirmation bias_ *

Nobody saw that.

* _pointedly ignoring bump on forehead_ * **Oh there you are, honey.**

Oh here I am. Do Dad’s Vigoroth need any help?

**Well, they’re almost done. Maybe you should check and see if they put your room together well?**

 

It… it’s definitely bigger than my old one

**Tommy.**

It is. I just- mom.

* _awkward silence. You and your mother don’t move or look at each other. Finally to break the awkward silence you start tap dancing. She starts laughing_ *

**So...**

So.

**Happy Birthday, honey.**

* _you start tap dancing again, this time in earnest happiness_ *

**Before you wear a groove in the floor, I want you to go visit Professor Birch**

**David hasn’t seen you in years.**

But mom I don’t even know the guy.

**And he has a daughter your age** _*winks*_

… Was that supposed to make me drop everything and run out the door?

**Yes.**

_*You pause*_

You know me too well, mom

* _you leave your new house and make your way to the one next door. Nervously you knock three times. The door swings open and a woman about your mother’s age answers_ *

**Oh Hi there. Well, I think May is up in her room.**

Huh?

**Aren’t you one of her friends?**

Well, actually I’m Norman’s kid

**Oh! Thomas! David told me all about you!**

Is… David here? My mom wanted me to say hi.

 **Oh he’s probably still out in the field, but while you’re here you should probably introduce yourself to May** * _winks_ *

… is everyone doing that today?

*she winks again and you head upstairs. She didn’t tell you where to go, so you duck into the first room with the door open*

May? * _pokes Pokeball on the floor_ * This isn’t about to turn into The Sixth Sense is it? I don’t want to realize that I was a ghost or something all along and that-

* _you hear footsteps behind you_ *

**"And what. Are you. Doing in MY ROOM?"**

Uh. I’m Tommy Marple. Your new neighbor?  I’m only here becauseyourmomsentmeuptosayhelloandwinked butIpromiseIdidn’treadanythingintoit at ALL

**"Oh!"**

**"So you’re Norman’s kid, right? Wow what’s it like having a gym leader for a dad?"**

I, uh, wouldn’t know. Petalburg is his first gym leader assignment

**"Really? Still WOW. The League must’ve thought he was awesome to send him here to replace the old gym leader!"**

Sure.

**"Anyway, Tommy it’s nice to meet you but I’ve gotta jet. My dad needs me collecting data on Route 103, so I guess I’ll see you later?"**

* _before May leaves she pulls you into a tight hug_ *

… buh?

*Y _ou stagger out of the Birch household and decide to head for the only other building in town the professor could be in but before you get there a bloodcurdling scream fills the air. A familiar sensation—something like déjà vu—washes over you as you immediately turn on your heel and sprint for Route 101._ *

**Hey mister are you gonna save the professor?**

*Y _ou nod_ *

Um.

**“Hello! You over there! Please! Help! In my Bag! There's a Pokéball!"**

That is a Zigzagoon.

**“I’m aware of this! Now if you could-”**

That is a _Zigzagoon_.

**“An angry Zigzagoon now could you-”**

You could just throw your shoe at it * _you turn to leave_ *

**"Wh-Where are you going?! Don't leave me like this!"**

Fine.

*Y _ou reach into the bag. There are three Pokeballs inside. These have to be Professor Birch’s personal Pokémon. You toy with the idea of just sending all three out, but that’d be kinda harsh on this probably harmless Zigzagoon._

 _Instead you settle for the Pokeball marked with a blue raindrop. The moment you touch it a stinging sensation creeps up your arm. You attribute this to the déjà vu feeling which is telling you there’s a Mudkip in this specific Pokeball_ *

 

Um.

* _With little time to question a Totodile in Hoenn you toss the Pokeball over to the tall grass. In a bright flash of light the Totodile emerges from its Pokeball and stares down the Zigzagoon. It looks to you for guidance_ *

Uh… save the professor?

* _The Totodile leaps into the fray scratching at the Zigzagoon until it runs away_ *

Good job?

Well, I am the best at what I do, mate

While your confidence is appreciated, “mate,” I- wait did you just talk?

Did you just respond to me?

* _You and the Totodile scream in unison_. _Once the two of you stop screaming the professor comes out of the bushes_ *

**"** **Um are you alright?"**

Yup. Totes. Shouldn’tIbeaskingyouthat?

* _tugging at your pants leg_ * Oi! Oi!

 

* _Pointedly ignoring the Totodile as you hand the Pokeball back to the professor_ * Well, I guess it’s lucky that I just so happened to be looking for you

**“You were looking for me? Do I know you?”**

OI! Don’t you keep ignoring me, mate! I want answers!

* _Returns Totodile to the Pokeball-ptchooo_ * **“I’m so sorry about him. Normally he’s much calmer.”**

* _The professor looks you up and down_ *

_*Professor Birch lifts you up in a bear hug.*_

**“TOMMMY!”**

Professor… I … can’t… breathe…

_*He drops you*_

**“My bad.”**

* _Before you can respond the professor hugs you again—this time not as tightly—and leaves. You watch the professor practically skip back into town. For a few minutes you sit in the short grass of Route 101. Maybe that talking Totodile was a hallucination. After a few minutes of staring at nothing you get up and head to the lab_ *

**“I just want to thank you for saving me”**

From a Zigzagoon.

**“… Anyway.”**

Well no.

**“But the way you battled earlier, you pulled it off with aplomb! I guess you have your father's blood in your veins after all!”**

But I did get my license before I left Johto!

**“Oh, yes. As thanks for rescuing me, I'd like you to have the Totodile you used earlier."**

* _The professor produces the Pokeball you used earlier and releases the Totodile_ *

Oi! You!

*T _he Totodile leaps into your arms. The professor laughs, completely unconcerned by the little reptile screaming in your face._ *

**"While you're at it, why not give a nickname to that Totodile?"**

Oh _hell_ no. My name is-

Irwin.

 **"Irwin?"** * _The professor starts laughing again_ *

My mum liked irony for irony’s sake

I’m really into irony for irony’s sake?

**"Well you’re definitely your father’s son. Anyway, If you work at Pokémon and gain experience, I think you'll make an extremely good Trainer. My kid,** **May** **, is also studying Pokémon while helping me out."**

* _The professor winks. Something in your gut feels weird. Once is happenstance, twice is a coincidence and three times is a pattern_ *

Oh are you sweet on May or something?

What? No!

**"Oh, don't be that way. You should go meet my kid."**

I mean, I do think it’s be a good idea to see May but I…

There ain’t nothing wrong~ With a little bump and grinding~

Dude, I’m only eleven!

**“Tommy, I don’t understand why being eleven is a reason to not want to see May.”**

I’m not talking to you, I’m talking to him!

**“… Tommy are you trying to tell me that you can understand this Totodile?”**

Irwin.

And don’t you forget it.

**“I’ve never heard of a trainer being able to understand their Pokemon this quickly before unless… are there any psychics in your family?”**

* _You think for a second. On your mother’s side of the family you think there might be a couple disciples of the psychics of Saffron City, but the disciples were all about training to unlock psychic power rather than being natural born psychics._ *

Um.

**“Well there’s always room for a first. Either way, Tommy, this is indisputable proof that you could be an amazing trainer!”**

* _The professor practically shoves you out the door, pointing you in the direction of Route 103. For a second you consider just going back to ho- to your house, but then again… You look at the Pokeball in your hand and the Totodile with a funny accent at your side._ *

So, you’re a talking Totodile

So, you’re a psychic

I’m pretty sure I’m not since your mouth is moving.

Good point. So what is your deal then?

I don’t know. What I do know is that I think you might be my ticket home.

* _Irwin points his tiny hand (claw?) at your house_ * Isn’t that it right there?

No. My home is in Olivine city and-

Wait, you’re from Johto too?

Too? I thought you were the professor’s

* _Irwin plops down on the ground. You follow suit to be polite. Nobody likes to crane their neck all the way up just to maintain a conversation_ *

I _am_ , but… Look, one day I was in my marsh back outside of Azalea Town, the next I’m being put in a bag.

The professor kidnapped… pokenapped you?

Pfft, no. I think The League rescued me from some poachers and just dumped me off here since Birch’s lab was the closest

* _the two of you sit in silence for a moment._ *

Irwin.

Hmm?

I’ve got a proposition for you. You help me get to Slateport City and we’ll catch a boat there back to Olivine.

You’re serious?

* _you think back to what your mother had said before you came to Hoenn._

_“Tommy, this is going to be a great experience for all of us,” your mom says. “Trust me, Hoenn is going to be wonderful.”_

_Everything in Littleroot town looks so nice and quaint, but you don’t really_ want _a “great experience.” You want to be back home with everything familiar_ *

As a heart attack.

* _you reach out your hand for Irwin to shake. He puts his claw in yours and the two of you shake. A pact is sealed today, and deep down in your gut you know this. The familiar déjà vu feeling from before that led you to saving Professor Birch is tinging in your head again._

 _Happy Birthday Tommy_ *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Riddle me this: what would make you walk away?


	2. The "Catch"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tommy and Irwin begin their journey home

So how long are we gonna just stand here?

Just gimme a minute. This is Hoenn. The land of roving hordes of Poochyena and other really dangerous Pokémon!

* _Irwin rolls his eyes and pushes you into the tall grass. Almost immediately you are attacked by a wild Pokémon…_ *

Um. That is a Lickitung.

Yes, Tommy. Yes it is.

But those don’t appear in the wild here

And yet there’s a Lickitung ready to kick your ass

My ass? Don’t you mean your ass?

 

* _You push Irwin into battle and tell him to leer at the pink tongue monster before you. Maybe that’ll scare it off? Irwin’s face goes from docile to fierce in a matter of seconds. The Lickitung, despite appearing frightened, holds its ground and gives Irwin a quick tongue lashing._ *

Irwin, use scratch!

 

* _One scratch takes out gets the Lickitung off its feet. It tries to lick Irwin again, but he leaps out of the way and pounces once more. Before he can strike again the Lickitung faints_ *

Wowzers.

Wowzers is right. Now let’s keep moving.

* _The two of you continue your trek through Route 101 casually battling any other Lickitung that happen to appear. The only Pokémon you see that are actually native to Hoenn are some Tailow in the trees that don’t try to battle you. Irwin tries to spit water at them, but fails. Perhaps whatever organ that normally lets most water types spit water isn’t fully developed in him yet?_

_Finally you arrive in Oldale Town. It isn’t much bigger than Littleroot, but at least there’s a Pokémon Center_.*

 

So we’re gonna heal up and check the map.

The map?

All Pokémon Centers have maps of their region, and I kinda-sorta don’t know where I’m going.

 

Okay so we’re here and Slateport is there…

So we just need to cut across that little lake and we’ll be golden

Yup. And we’ll even get to stop by and say hello to May before we go

Score! I like May. She’s a keeper * _winks_ *

Not you too.

I have no idea what you’re talking about * _winks again and does finger guns despite not having fingers_ *

I’m a nice person, I don’t deserve this

Now let’s just wade in the water.

Huh?

It’s a song from church

Well, fuck.

How old are you again, mate?

Eleven. And this is not a lake

I think a lot of our journey going to be you stating the obvious.

But—I…? The map showed a lake! This is like ten feet deep!

* _Irwin jumps into the “lake” after a few minutes he comes back out_ *

Like, twenty-three.

Well, fuck. Now what are we going to do?

**"Tommy is that you?"**

It _sounds_ like we’re going to say hi to May

Well, fuck.

Hi, May. How’s things?

**"Just studying the Wurmple for dad and- Oh, I see, my dad gave you Totodile as a gift** _."_

_*Irwin rolls his eyes*_

Yeah. He said something about you teaching me what being a trainer is about?

**"Oh!"**

_*May puts down her notebook and squares her shoulders. She looks you in the eye*_

**"Tommy do you know what happens when two trainers’ eyes meet?"**

They debate League tariffs between Johto and Sinnoh?

**"No…"**

 

* _May reaches for a pokéball on her belt and the déjà vu returns. In your mind’s eye you see a Torchic at your side instead of Irwin and you just know May is going to send out her Mudkip. May’s pokéball landing on the ground in real life brings you back and out of it comes a Nidoran_ *

Earth to Tommy, what d’ya want me to do?

**"Nidoran, use growl!"**

_*From watching your dad battle for years you know growl lowers attack so you need to decide whether or not to take the same strategy as May and have Irwin barrage her Nidoran with leers before finally attacking or to just hit her hard and fast. *_

Irwin, scratch! But try to avoid her poison points!

_*Irwin flings himself into battle. He’s a scrappy fighter in ways that May’s Nidoran is not which is what lets him get the upper hand. Nidoran faints after a few scratch attacks *_

Good job Irwin!

_*You crouch down to give him a high five. May watches on silently appraising your interaction*_

T’weren’t nothin’, mate. We make a pretty good team, don’t we?

 

**"You’re going to be an amazing trainer, Tommy."  **

_*May’s Pokénav starts ringing. She picks it up before the second ring._ *

**"Oh! Hi, dad. Yeah Tommy’s right here with me. Okay. See you soon."  **

_*May hangs up the Pokénav*_

** "We should probably head back to the lab now, my dad wants to see us!" **

*Before you can say anything May hops off the ledge and starts making her way back to Littleroot town*

Yup. That May sure is a keeper.

Quiet you.

_*Your journey back to Littleroot town is relatively uneventful. By following May’s path you avoid getting into battles except for one with a stray Tailow on Route 101. By the end of it Irwin has learned a new attack. Gingerly you make your way back to the lab. You have no idea what the professor could want with you*_

 

Damn straight!

Irwin!

If you can say “fuck,” then I can say “damn straight” every now and then

_*Professor Birch and May are looking on at the two of you in confusion. She looks to her father but he just shrugs and takes a small box from his desk and presses it into your hands. May giggles and motions for you to open it*_

**“Anyway.** **Here, Tommy. I ordered this for my research, but I think you should have this Pokédex. Happy birthday."**

Professor Birch th-this is…

**“I’m certain you have the makings of an amazing trainer, Tommy, and I feel that having this device just might help you along your journey”**

 

**"You can’t become a great trainer without a team of Pokémon"**

_*You are rendered speechless. When you first got out of the moving truck this morning you were convinced today was going to be the worst birthday ever, but now you’ve got a Pokémon and a real life pokédex! You thank the professor and May and leave the lab.*_

Irwin, I think we may need to modify our plan.

Modify?

I mean, the next fastest way we can get to Slateport City is by cutting through Rustboro and what if we run into strong trainers on the way? What if-

Tommy, you wanna catch other Pokémon. That’s fine. I’m cool with not having to do everything for us.

Everything?

_*Irwin shrugs*_ Either way this doesn’t really sound much like a modification. Just you being pragmatic.

Yeah.

_*For some reason there’s a pang of something—sadness?—in the bottom of your gut. *_

'Sides, think of it like this: we get back to Johto with a team of Hoenn Pokémon and everybody is gonna think we’re the shit.

_*the two of you keep walking until you’re just at the edge of town*_

__  

_*Your mom is running down the road holding a backpack*_

Oh. Hi mom. This is Irwin.

G’day, Tommy’s mum.

**I just wanted to give you this before you go.**

_*She hands you the backpack. It’s a standard issue Trainer’s bag with multiple hammerspace compartments. You look at your mother with a sense of confusion*_

**Honey, happy birthday. Your dad and I thought maybe you’d enjoy Hoenn more if you began your Pokémon journey here.**

Does she not know that we’re trying to go back to Johto?

Um.

I mean at least we’re not running away from home anymore.

Um.

_*Your mother wraps her arms around you in a big hug.*_

**And stop by to see your father when you get to Petalburg, okay?**

Okay.

**I love you, Tommy.**

_*Your mother hugs you once more. This time when she lets you go to leave you can see the beginnings of tears forming in her eyes.*_

~~I love you too~~

Wow. Just wow. Why do you want to go back to Johto again?

Shut up, Irwin.

 

_*You and Irwin head back onto Route 101. Since May gave you pokéballs you could try catching some of the local Pokémon to your team but…*_

 

 

…

You know you wanna say it.

I do, but I think I want to just find something easy to catch instead.

_*Irwin leads you back to Route 103. The two of you sit in the grass waiting for something to appear*_

So.

So what.

What’s the deal with all these Pokémon in the wrong places?

Iono. I mean, I never really noticed it before?

Irwin. We ran into, like, six Trapinches outside of a dessert. How on earth would you or the professor not notice something like that?

** … **

_*You suddenly hear rustling in the bushes. A small Torchic waddles into view*_

Holy crap. Irwin, go weaken it so I can throw a pokéball!

* _Irwin leers and scratches it a couple of times and when you feel like the Torchic is weak enough you reach for a pokéball. The moment you touch it, however, your hand starts burning and your arm locks up. The pain steals your voice. Without you giving orders Irwin is stuck trying to dodge the Torchic’s flurry of attacks. He can’t dodge them all though because somehow this Torchic is faster. A few hits land and Irwin goes off the defensive_ *

_*The Torchic immediately passes out and your hand stops burning. Once you get control of your arm again and your voice you take Irwin and run away from Route 103. Something feels wrong. Very wrong*_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Riddle me this: what would you take with you when running away from home?


	3. Father Knows Best

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gym leaders do more than just battle challengers, y'know?

So here we are at last… in Petalburg City

Didn’t you say that when we got here two hours ago?

Two hours ago we were pretty beat up and that is a terrible way to greet a new place

Hmm. Well, you’re right about that.

And now let’s get the fuck out of here

_*You and Irwin begin walking for Route 104. After you pass a few buildings you realize Irwin is no longer by your side. You turn around to see him standing in the middle of the road with his little arms crossed across his body*_

Didn’t you tell your mom you were going to see your dad before you left Petalburg?

I, uh…

 

Load up on supplies before leaving?

**You’re funny kid.**

_*The strange man leads you to the biggest building in the city*_

 

I see. Well now I’m gonna go—

**Ah, ah, ah. Just go in and see if you can challenge the gym leader**

_*The man steps back and makes a “go on” gesture. You bite back the urge to tell him that you’re not even doing the badge challenge. You also avoid looking at Irwin who is smirking. When you enter your father is standing right there.*_

Hi, Dad.

**And is that the Pokémon David gave you? Have you caught any others?**

Yes and no.

****

**And by yourself, I mean with only one Pokémon.**

Well Irwin kept knocking out our potential catches…

I said I was sorry, mate.

And now I’m pretty sure he’s too strong to help catch anything nearby.

**Oh? What makes you say that?**

*You and Irwin glance up and to the left to trigger a full flashback*

 

*The flashback unceremoniously ends*

There were a lot of… eager new trainers.

**Well that’s par for the course, son.**

_Um excuse me…?_

_*A kid about your age shuffles into the gym, but you can’t help thinking that he’s actually three years younger. He’s sickly, pale, and tiny. You’re fairly certain that if a strong enough wind blew he’d disintegrate*_

 

**Tommy, this is Wally. Wally, Tommy.**

_Nice to meet you_

Hi.

**Wally here is moving to Verdanturf Town and the previous gym leader promised to help him get a Pokémon before he left, but I think I see the perfect opportunity for a lesson…**

Dad, no.

**Dad, yes!**

 

**You can even borrow one of the gym Pokémon!**

_*You pull your dad aside*_

Dad, first of all, you’re going to give him a pokéball? _**A**_ pokéball?

**I was joking son. I’ll give him three!**

Not the point. Second of all, I haven’t even caught any Pokémon, dad. Howm’I going to help this kid?

**Tommy, you know how to catch Pokémon. I taught you years ago. My guess is that teaching someone else will kick start that knowledge inside of you again**

Wow, your dad sure is smart.

That’s why he’s the gym leader

**Huh?**

Uh. That’s why _you’re_ the gym leader. You’re all “I gotta test trainers, but I also have to give them room for growth” and stuff.

_*shrugging*_ **This is what I get for testing out my lesson plans on my kid.**

Sure? Let’s go catch you a Pokémon.

You sound _so_ excited, Tommy. It’s positively infectious

Quiet, you.

**???**

_*Your dad gives Wally three empty pokeballs and a Zigzagoon.  It is a chattery little thing that makes you wish you weren't suddenly able to understand pokémon*_

Well they don’t really hide so much as, y’know, live here.

_Oh. Well I just want to say thanks for helping me. *he coughs*  The last gym leader’s son was kinda—_

 

_What do I do? What do I do?_

Okay, first you have to weaken it.

_*Wally sends the Zigzagoon out and it tackles the Ralts, holding it in place*_

Now would be a good time to use a pokeball, Wally!

*...*

*....?*

*......?*

*.......?*

*.........?!?*

* * *

_IT WORKED!_

Wally did great

_YOU DID GREAT!_

_*Wally starts coughing, and tells you that he should probably get going. Before he leaves, however, he thanks you once more. Once he's gone your father leans against a wall, smirking.*_

**So?**

So.

_*Your father playfully punches your arm*_

** Your mother and I have the utmost faith in you, Tommy, but if you want to become a strong trainer, here's my advice. Head for Rustboro City beyond this town.  **

 

Dad… I—

**Son, I think the badge challenge will be good for you.**

_*The déjà vu feeling returns. The next thing your dad is going to say is—*_

**Someday you’ll have to come challenge me too** , but I look forward to our future battle.

**Son are you okay?**

* _rubbing temples_ * Just a weird feeling of déjà vu. I’ll see you later dad

_*You walk out with a headache and lead Irwin to Route 104. With a newfound sense of confidence you and Irwin try to catch a Sentret that appear in the tall grass. However, it is at level 2 and Irwin is at 11 so the Sentret immediately faints. Undaunted you and Irwin try to catch the next Pokémon that appears—a Charmander?—but the same thing that happened on Route 103 does again._

_Your hand begins to burn and arm locks up. You are overcome with a sense of dread telling you that you_ cannot _and_ should not _attempt to catch this Pokémon. Irwin knocks it out. He gives you a funny look when you refuse to even try to catch any other Pokémon that appear on Route 104._

_Later in the Petalburg Woods*_

I’m just as surprised as you are that our one on one time with Wally didn’t help us figure out how to catch any Pokémon.

Har-de-har, Tommy. It’s not my fault that I’m just so strong.

Woe is me. My name is Irwin and I’m the strongest Pokémon ever

If you’re gonna mimic me, at least get the accent rig—

_*Irwin trips and falls over something. You help him up and see that he fell over a Dunsparce that looks pretty weak…*_

 

Well that was anticlimactic.

Um, hi there…?

 

Call me, Uno.

Uno?

Yes.

Well, I’m Tommy and that’s Irwin. Before you ask, yes, I can understand exactly what you’re saying. Welcome to the team?

_*Uno does not speak. Instead he silently appraises you and Irwin. The little creature pathetically slithers around you.*_

You think I am weak.

What? No!

Yes

Irwin!

_*Uno begins flapping his wings and hovers to a nearby Oran berry tree. He picks three, tossing one to you and Irwin. You hesitate to take a bit because you have no idea how a little snake creature without arms managed to pick it*_

Well, he is right. I am on old man. My talents lie in deception and strategy.

Really? So do mine. We hit ‘em hard and fast.

So you’re going to hit that Tyranitar “hard and fast?”

What Tyrani-

_*A roar fills the forest. Fifteen feet and gaining behind you is a giant Tyranitar. You grab Irwin jump out of its path. Uno hovers after you. Never in your life have you had to run like this.*_

That. Is. A. FUCKING TYRANITAR.

Yes, yes it is.

That. Is. A. FUCKING TYRANITAR.

Does he do this often?

Yes, yes he does

Perhaps this is my chance to prove my worth.

_*Uno stops flying with you and turns to face the rampaging monster. He curls tightly into a ball as the Tyranitar attempts to chomp down on him. *_

Uno, no! Irwin, get him outta there.

Um. Tommy, do you see what I see?

Um. What?

I have broken this Tyranitar’s teeth with my body. And now I shall defeat it

_*Uno wriggles out of the Tyranitar’s mouth and rams himself into its torso*_

Go me.

So. Um. Yeah. You didn’t need to prove yourself to me, but thanks for taking out that Tyranitar that should not be in the wild.

Tyranitar do appear in the wild though

Yeah, in Johto and Unova!

**Well speaking of finding Pokémon in the wild-**

HOLYFUCKINGSHIT

_*you jump nearly three feet out of your skin and land flat on your ass. In front of you is a very generic looking man in a lab coat*_

Omigod. WHY did you just jump out of nowhere?

**I didn’t jump out of nowhere. You were just too engrossed in conversation with… no one?**

_*you start arguing with the strange lab coat man about the ethics of appearing out of nowhere. While you do Uno and Irwin look on*_

Does he not see us standing here?

He does, but the young master was speaking to us as if we were talking back.

We were!

True, but most humans don’t understand us. Tommy does?

That sounded like a question.

Well—

OH MY FUCKING GOD

_*you are broken out of your debate over the ethics of appearing out of nowhere by a… pirate?*_

**Scientist: I was not dawdling. I’ll have you know that I was having a conversation about ethics with this intelligent young man**

Get bent

**Pirate: Whatever**

_*The pirate pulls a pokeball from his belt and leers menacingly. You feel a chill go down your spine. Not from fear, but from how once again you are struck by déjà vu. The next thing you know the scientist will probably be asking for your help or something*_

Goddammit.

 

_*The pirate—er Team Aqua grunt—sends out a Cascoon. Cascoon does not seem to jive very well with his nautical aesthetic, but you don’t decide to tell him this. Instead you send out Irwin to make quick work of the cocoon Pokémon*_

 

Now fuck off.

**And you’ve got a filthy mouth. Do all ten year olds swear as much as you do?**

_*You have Irwin water gun the Team Aqua grunt in the face*_

_*The Team Aqua grunt runs off and you’re left with the scientist*_

  

Um. What just happened.

I think we just did a good deed.

I think we just walked into some Hoenn Weirdness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Riddle me this: what do you do with something that doesn't belong?


	4. Your Fault

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> If only getting home were as easy as making it to the big city...

 

Omigod.

What?

_*Your hand is tingling and your arm is burning. Something deep inside is telling you that you have broken a rule and that there will be consequences for this.*_

Nothing. Let’s, um, meet our new friend?

**Hello.**

Hi, I’m Tommy and this is Irwin and Uno.

**Eliza.**

Nice to meet you, Eliza. Our team may be small, but I feel it is made all the stronger by your addition.

**True.**

Does she ever say more than one word at once?

**Yes.**

_*Irwin facepalms. You rub your arm. It feels kind of numb and this definitely feels like a portent of something. The four of you head into a nearby flower shop and get some gardening equipment. Everyone knows growing berries is much easier in Hoenn, and as a trainer you’ll need every edge you can get*_

**Double**

What?

**Double.**

**Gina: We do double battles**

Oh. Well, um. How do we do-?

Allow me

And me.

_*Gina’s Kakuna tackles Uno and the Whismur causes an uproar. Despite not having ears in a traditional sense Irwin doubles over. You have Uno cover Irwin so he can fire a continuous stream of water guns at the Whismur who is quickly approaching a dangerous crescendo*_

Good job, guys!

_*You part ways with Gina and Mia to continue your trek. It isn’t long before you see in the distance skyscrapers.*_

Guys we’re here! Fina-fucking-ly

**Language.**

Sorry, Eliza. It’s just. We’re so close to Slateport now!

Is this the part where we sing something from The Murkrow of Oz?

Shut up, Irwin.

_*You still end up doing that familiar hop-skip-jump from the movie as you make your way to the Pokémon Center. Nurse Joy heals your party and you all take some time to rest._

_Eliza sits at your feet purring like a house-meowth. She is sitting on your still numb and burning arm. You’d make her get off, but she looks so peaceful._

_Uno is in his pokeball. He said something about wanting to rest in a dematerialized state?_

_Irwin, however, is studying the map on the wall. You try to gently shrug Eliza off you, but you still can’t really move that arm all that well. Instead you pick her up with the other and set her down on the chair so you can join Irwin at the map.*_

Hey

According to this map the journey to Slateport City through the tunnel is gonna take three days

Someone sounds excited.

You have no idea.

_*After stocking up you gather everyone except for Irwin back in their pokeballs and decide to head out. Rustboro isn’t nearly the biggest major city you’ve ever been in, but it’s still a bustling hub. People are all in a hurry to get where they need to be. You hear murmurs of gossip as you pass them by._

_“Roxanne’s sending out progress reports next T-”_

_“That Steven is so yum. I’d like to put him-”_

_“Rusturf is closed again?”*_

Wait, what?

**Wait, what, what?**

Did you just say Rusturf Tunnel is closed?

**Well, yeah. Devon Co. is doing construction there.**

_*You suddenly have the strongest urge to fall to the ground on your knees, rip open your shirt, and scream “¡¿POR QUÉ?!” to the heavens. Instead you let Irwin lead you out of town and to Route 116. For such a little Pokémon, he has no problem taking you by the hand and practically dragging you away*_

Irwin, what are we doing?

We’re gonna start a fight, mate.

Why?

Cos I’m mad. Why else?

_*Beat*_ Sounds good to me. Oh look, over there in that tall grass. I think I see something!

_*You and Irwin sneak into the tall grass to see-*_

THAT

Is a fucking CRADILY!!!

WHY IS THAT HERE? THOSE ARE EXTINCT!

EXTINCT OR NOT IT LOOKS PRETTY MAD!

_*The Cradily immediately lunges for you, ready to use Constrict or something, but you grab Irwin and roll out of the way. Once you’re a safe distance, Irwin immediately leaps back into the fray. Cradily uses Astonish. Irwin immediately counters with Water gun. Despite being half grass type, it does a lot of damage.*_

Shit. Shit. Crap

Tommy, we need to take it out NOW.

_*Your hand absently starts to reach for one of the empty pokeballs on your belt. Cradily are pretty rare and that would definitely be a great Pokémon to take back to Johto. The Cradily ramming its head (?) into Irwin’s gut gets your intention*_

Irwin, close range water gun now!

Well. That was terrifying

IT’S ABOUT TO GET WORSE

_*you hear the sound of several rocks grinding against one another behind you. Slowly you turn to see a hulking creature made of rocks with seven glowing stones covering what you assume to be its face.*_

Irwin, what’s that?

Master Tommy, get down.

_*Uno pushes you out of the way of the creature’s fist*_

I AM REGIROCK, GOLEM OF THE ROCK PEAKS AND YOUR DOOM. 

_*you try to run away, but Regirock stomps its massive foot on the ground which makes several boulders taller than you jut out from the earth, blocking your escape*_

IT’S ALL YOUR FAULT 

Look, I don’t know you and you don’t know me—

I KNOW YOU VERY WELL, TOMMY. THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT

 

What the hell?

There’s no time for questions, Master Tommy. We need to get out of here before—

_*The disparate pieces of Regirock that have all exploded begin to rumble and shake before reuniting into one Regirock again*_

I WILL NOT FAIL AGAIN!

Uno, take this potion. Irwin, you’re on standby.

What? But I’ve got type advantage!

Can you withstand one of those explosions?

** … **

I thought not. Uno use dig!

 

_*You immediately return your two partners to their pokeballs and begin to scale the boulders to safety. However, before you can get over you hear a peal of thunder.*_

WE MEET AGAIN, TOMMY

Holy crap, you’re Zapdos!

YES, YES I AM. I AM ALSO HERE TO OFFER YOU A BOON.

A what?

A FAVOR. DO SOMETHING FOR ME AND I WILL HELP YOU ESCAPE REGIROCK BEFORE IT REFORMS

_*A lightning bolt suddenly scatters all of Regirock’s pieces*_

Deal!

TELL ME, WHAT DO YOU SEEK TO GAIN FROM THIS?

From what?

FROM THIS DISTORTION. WHAT DO YOU SEEK TO GAIN?

I… have no idea what you’re talking about?

_*The sky clouds over and several lightning bolts strike the boulders around you*_

THAT WAS NOT THE ANSWER I WANTED. FOR YOU INSOLENCE, WE SHALL DO BATTLE

What?

CHOOSE ONE CHAMPION TO BATTLE ME AND—

_*despite being the worst idea ever you immediately send out Irwin. Type advantage be damned he’s your strongest Pokémon right now with Uno still injured from fighting Regirock and Eliza being far too under leveled*_

THAT IS FUCKING ZAPDOS, MATE. WHAT IS ZAPDOS DOING HERE?

I DON’T KNOW. BUT IT’S ANGRY AT US TOO FOR SOME REASON!

_*the storm clouds dissipate and Zapdos stares at Irwin then turns its attention back to you. Zapdos’ gaze is filled with pity*_

I SEE. IT IS BECAUSE YOU ARE CURSED.

_*In a strike of lightning Zapdos vanishes. You and Irwin book it back to Rustboro City*_

**Didn’t I just see you half an hour ago?**

Y-yes! B-b-but my Dunsparce... We got attacked by a Cradily and a Regirock!

_*Nurse Joy gives you a sideways glance before taking Uno’s pokeball*_

**Everyone knows Regirock is just a fairytale made up to scare hikers. It was probably just a bunch of angry Geodude or Nosepass.**

But—

**And Cradily are still very extinct.**

But I—

**Look. I can tell you’re a new trainer. Being on your own for the first time can be scary, and when you aren’t familiar with the terrain your eyes may play tricks on you.**

_*You nod absently and take a seat in the lobby with Irwin. There’s no way in hell that the rampaging Cradily, the boulders and Regirock screaming at you, and Zapdos were all in your head. But then you remember what Zapdos said before it vanished*_

_I SEE. IT IS BECAUSE YOU ARE CURSED._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Riddle me this: how do you atone for your mistakes when you aren't sure they are?


	5. Versus Roxanne

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Advice in the form of a title drop is always nice.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> warning for somewhat graphic description of violence

_*You and your team are huddled into a corner of the Pokémon Center feeling at a loss. This was supposed to be easy but…_

_You make your way back to the big region map_ *

So, what’s our next move?

_*Your dad always taught you to plan three steps ahead of yourself and then plan contingencies on contingencies just in case. That was nice and all, but that isn’t how your brain works. You make plans and then adjust on the fly when they don’t work out, which your dad always said was good for Pokémon battling but not for— Wait. Your dad. The gym leader. That’s it!*_

The gym challenge.

**What?**

The gym challenge, Eliza. Trainers on the gym challenge get access to all sorts of transportation.

_*You remember back in Johto the buses specifically for trainers coming from Blackthorn City to battle Jasmine in Olivine. Being on the Gym Challenge is difficult enough without having to traverse an entire region on_ foot _. Every region has programs like this*_

I’m not sure I follow.

I do. Tommy’s saying that by its own rules the League has to make a way for trainers on the gym challenge to get around to each gym leader. All we’d have to do is battle long enough to get to the gym closest to Slateport City.

Bingo. According to the map the closest gym is in Mauville, but if we go that way we’d have to go through the mountains…

So how about Dewford Town? There’s a gym there and the next stop afterwards by boat would be Slateport City itself

That’s crazy enough to work!

_*With renewed vigor you and your team head back to Route 104 to do some training. Except for Eliza, that is. For some reason—and the paranoid part of you says that it may be for the same reason why you’ve been having trouble moving your arm since catching her—she sits out. You don’t bother trying to make her train._

_Thanks to some helpful gossip from around town you know that the gym leader, Roxanne, is a rock type specialist. Irwin is your best bet with Uno as a backup since he knows a ground type move. Once you’re satisfied the four of you head back to the Pokémon center for the night._

_You have several dreams, but cannot remember them upon waking the next day*_

Alright. Is everybody ready?

Damn straight.

As I’ll ever be

**Nap**

… Anyway. Thanks to my dad I know that there’ll be trainers in there who want to test us before we’re allowed to battle Roxanne. We’ll just have to take them out one at a time and—

God-fucking-dammit

_*Covering Youngster Tommy’s ears*_ **Kids these days are so disrespectful!**

_*You brace yourself for the rock Pokémon your opponents will send out. From what Nurse Joy said the other day it’ll probably be Geodude or—wait. The déjà vu feeling comes back. You know what they’re going to send out Geodude. This whole battle. You’ve seen it before a thousand times somehow and it always ends without your team having to exert much effort. Maybe you_ are _psychic?*_

Wait. What?

Oh great, here we go again.

I’m with Master Tommy on this one. This sudden shift in power is disconcerting

**Marc: What, what?**

Why do you guys have grass Pokémon?

**Marc: I have no idea what you’re talking about.**

**Y!Tommy: Me neither.**

But that is an Exeggcute and Shroomish. Both of which are grass types and this is a ROCK TYPE GYM

**Marc: You don’t need to shout, boy. Shroomish, use stun spore!**

**Y!Tommy: Barrage!**

_*Irwin is able to dodge the stun spore, but is immediately hit by the barrage. Uno on the other hand is paralyzed by Shroomish’s spores._

_Flashes of Geodude throwing mud dance across your mind’s eye. You shake the images away as you tell Irwin to bite the fuck out of the Exeggcute. Fuck the déjà vu feelings. You are in no way psychic._

_Because your team is this over leveled Irwin’s bite knocks out the Shroomish in one. Marc immediately sends out a second Shroomish. Uno shrugs off his paralysis to use rage on the Exeggcute. It too, is immediately knocked out. Youngster Tommy sends out a second Exeggcute. Uno knocks it out without any trouble._

_God. This battle. It’s probably insignificant in the greater scheme of things, but it’s still got you energized. All you have to do is look in a direction and your partners just KNOW what they need to do._

_Irwin and Uno both leap for the final Shroomish…*_

I do believe high fives are in order

But you don’t have any hands, mate.  
  
… True.  


_*After the trainers step aside you give Uno some medicine and spray Irwin with a potion. Anything is possible, and you’re about to face a gym leader. If you still trusted the déjà vu feelings you’d be worried about Roxanne and her Nosepass spamming rock tomb. Instead you’re worried that she’s going to send out a horde of Pikachu or something.*_

Hi there. I’m Tommy

_*Roxanne looks at you—or rather through you. She’s kind of intimidating, but not in a way that makes you want to pee your pants. More like someone stern with a lot of authority*_

**Am I your first gym battle?**

Well, yeah.

**I surmised as much. You have nothing to worry about. This is a rock type gym, so you’ll have plenty of ways to flex your creative muscles in battle.**

Wait. So this _is_ a rock type gym?

**That’s what it says on the front door**

B-but they—

**They what?**

_*You consider telling Roxanne that none of her gym trainers used rock types, but then you think about when your dad was a gym trainer for Jasmine in Olivine City’s lighthouse. He and the others just used their regular teams rather than trying to adhere to the theme. Maybe that’s what’s happening here?*_

Never mind.

**Alright then…**

_*You pull out your pokedex. Bagon is not in any way a rock type. Irwin sees you holding back the urge to scream and starts laughing.*_

Uno, would you mind getting this one?

It would be my pleasure.

_*You have Uno immediately use yawn to put the Bagon to sleep. It doesn’t take effect right then though, so it gets a couple bites. It ends up passing out while gnawing on Uno’s tail.*_

__

_*Uno uses dig, but Bagon is still attached to his tail. As the two of them descend underground Roxanne shouts for Bagon to wake up. Curiously enough she doesn’t call her by a name. Outside of Roxanne’s frantic cries the gym is silent. And then Uno comes back up.*_

__

_*He’s bleeding from where Bagon had been biting his tail, but also is sporting a nasty bump on the top of his head. It’s already turning purple*_

Did I do good mommy?

Uh, yeah, Uno. But um. You’re sitting out the next round.

**Are you ready for the next round, Tommy?**

* _To Irwin_ * I dunno, are you?

Maybe she’ll send out an actual rock type this time.

**Jigglypuff, I choose you!**

That is NOT a rock type.

**I don’t know what you’re talking about.**

_*Roxanne immediately has her Jigglypuff use sing. You pull your hat over your ears, but Irwin is too late. He falls asleep immediately and the Jigglypuff starts buffing her stats*_

Seriously, what gives?

**Excuse me?**

Look, I’m from Kanto. I know for a fact that Jigglypuff is not a rock type. Like at all.

_*Roxanne doesn’t answer you. Instead she looks at you (through you?) with her head tilted like a confused Growlithe._

_She has Jigglypuff use pound, but luckily this wakes Irwin up. Over the past few days that you’ve gotten to know Irwin you’ve realized that he is not someone that anybody should ever wake up suddenly*_

__

_*The violent jerk he gives upon waking flings Jigglypuff into the ceiling where it gets stuck between a couple decorative stalactites up there. Once it is completely clear that the Jigglypuff has fainted Roxanne calls her back into her pokeball*_

**Oh dear.**

Yeah… uh. I’m sorry about him? Irwin kinda doesn’t know his own strength

**Well “Irwin” is going to need it to defeat my final pokemon.**

And what is that?

Oh my god. Are you kidding me right now?

**Excuse me?**

Irwin can take out a Ponyta with one water gun.

**Are you sure?**

_*Roxanne grins and the battle begins again. Before you can even give the order for Irwin to use any attack the Ponyta is ramming into Irwin*_

What the what?

Tommy, it’s really fast.

* _You try to keep your eye on the Ponyta as she runs circles around Irwin, occasionally breaking from her formation to pounce again, but she’s too fast. Irwin tries to shoot water guns at where he thinks she is or where he thinks she’s going to be, but misses each time. You can see Irwin’s health deteriorating as the fight continues and the déjà vu feeling kicks in again._

_This time you see a Combusken in front of you battling a Nosepass. The Nosepass drops three giant boulders on top of the Combusken, crushing it._

_Him._

_Crushing_ him _. The last thing in this vision you see is the Combusken’s lifeless body and an irrational fear comes over you._

_You_ need _to figure something out soon or else the same is going to happen to Irwin. If only there were a way to shoot water everywhere at once—_ *

Irwin! Fire your water gun up and spin!

What?

Just trust me!

_*Irwin takes a deep breath and fires. Once he starts spinning however, gravity sends the water all over the field. He’s like a sprinkler. You can hear the Pontya crying out in discomfort. The sprinkler move isn’t doing much damage, but in the end that wasn’t even your goal._

_You tap your foot on the ground which is quickly becoming mud. Running in the thick mud Irwin created makes Ponyta slow down enough for Irwin to point his stream at her*_

Did I get her? The world is still spinning, mate.

You got her. You got her!

_*You pick up Irwin and hug him as tightly as possibly as you can without hurting him even more. As you celebrate you hear a slow clapping behind you*_

Thank you so much! (I mean, I still think it’s fucked up that you used no rock types)

Uh, Tommy. Can you put me down?

What?

_*Irwin’s body is trembling. He starts getting hotter and hotter until—*_

Holy shit.

> **HOLY SHIT**  


You’re really heavy!

**You can put me down.**

But I don’t want to. Let me love you, Irwin. You evolved!

**Ahem. You are definitely a creative battler.**

Thank you.

**Pfft. She should be complimenting me on taking out her Jigglypuff with one hit.**

Irwin!

**Pardon?**

Uh. Nothing. He’s just being rude.

**Is he now? Do you understand what your Croconaw is saying?**

Irwin. And, uh, yeah. I understand all of my pokemon

_*Roxanne’s gaze changes for a second. Pity and disgust flash across her eyes. You step back. Her gaze returns back to normal and you hope that was all in your head like the déjà vu feelings*_

**Well, that is remarkable for a trainer so new.**

_*Shrugging*_ Professor Birch thinks I might just be a latent psychic or something

_*Roxanne laughs and a shiver goes down your spine*_

**That is a possibility, but regardless you have the makings of very strong trainer and—**

_*Roxanne’s voice suddenly sounds hollow*_

Um. I-I intend to.

**Tommy, what’s wrong?**

So, uh. We should probably get going—

_*Roxanne takes your wrist and Irwin starts growling at her, but you can’t move. You’re transfixed by her gaze*_

**But remember you can just walk away at any time.**

What?

**You can just walk away. Just remember. That is all I ask of you**

_*And you’re struck with a vision. Then that vision becomes three. You see Roxanne and her Nosepass. The Nosepass is flinging boulders at a Combusken. Then a Marshtomp. Then a Grovyle. In each vision the Nosepass crushes its opponent to death. In the distance behind the Nosepass you see Roxanne. She’s crying. She’s mouthing something…_

_“I’m sorry. I didn’t know it was you.”_

_And the visions end. You’re back in reality staring into Roxanne’s eyes. There is no question in your mind now that you’re a psychic, but what did you just see? The past? The future? Something else entirely?*_

__

_*You take Irwin by the hand and run out of the Rustboro gym. Before you can get to the door you hear Roxanne shout something*_

**Just walk away!**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Riddle me this: what would make you give up?


	6. The Despair

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Joseph Campbell said the journey into the cave was necessary in the Hero's Journey, but this is ridiculous.

_*You try to catch your breath in the alley next to the gym. Thanks to Irwin evolving he’s a foot taller and can easily hide you while you sit in fetal position. He doesn’t ask any questions, which makes getting back to normal—whatever that means at this point—easier.*_

Irwin, I think we’re safe.

**You sure?**

We’ve been here fifteen minutes and she hasn’t come, so we’re probably fine.

_*Neither of you move.*_

**So**

So.

**So are we tweeting out you as a psychic as #confirmed now or…?**

Did you just say #confirmed?

**I’ve been told talkin’ with hashtags is what all the cool kids do these days**

_*You two laugh.*_

Sure, why not? I mean, I have to be the worst psychic ever though.

**What do you mean?**

None of my “visions” have happened the way I saw them.

_*You tell Irwin about some of your earlier déjà vu feelings. Him being a Mudkip. May’s Torchic. Those three Pokémon dying in Roxanne’s gym. Irwin nods thoughtfully as you explain, which is much more than he really has to do._

_The more you think about it no matter how weird the past week has been for you it has to be worse for Irwin. Once you finish talking you give him another hug. Irwin gives the best hugs for someone with stubby arms*_

**Maybe you see things that won’t happen then?**

Huh?

**Like, things that absolutely won’t or can’t happen?**

Headlines read out: Tommy Marple is the Worst Psychic Ever

**I dunno, mate. Miss Cleo would beg to-**

_*You see a pirate—wait Team Aqua grunt?—run down the street holding a strange briefcase*_

_*The stupid scientist from the other day appears to chase the Team Aqua grunt. You follow because it feels like what you should do in this situation. He stops right at the edge of town looking out to Route 116. In his distress he starts looking around, maybe for someone to help him out. This, of course is when he sees you*_

 

Get the what?

**The Devon Goods! Materials for an experimental pokeball and spare parts! Please, you have to help!**

_*The déjà vu—screw it, you’ve accepted that you’re a psychic so you might as well call them visions._

_You get a vision of you telling him to talk to the police, which thanks to your talk with Irwin probably means even if you told him to do that now, you’d still end up involved somehow. So instead you assure the stupid scientist that you’ll get back the Devon Goods and run towards Route 116 with Irwin waddling behind you.*_

Looks like they’re playing our song again, Irwin.

**… But I don’t hear anything?**

I was being metaphorical

Um.

_*There are still boulders scattered about from your encounter yesterday. No matter what that Nurse Joy said it was definitely real and there’s a chance it could happen again. You let Uno out of his pokeball just to be ready._

_As you gingerly step through the tall grass you don’t run into Regirock. You do, however, see a herd (?) of Cradily playing with a couple Unown. This isn’t a sight you linger on. Not because it isn’t strange, but because you keep getting stopped by trainers on the route who won’t take “I’m following a thief so can we just not?” for an answer._

_After Irwin, Uno, and even Eliza (though during her battles you can barely breathe and your arm goes completely numb) demolish them you finally get to the entrance of the Rusturf Tunnel. There is a little old man on the ground weeping at the entrance. He looks familiar…*_

Sir, are you okay?

_*The old man wipes his eyes and takes a couple breaths before he speaks.*_

Well, maybe I can help?

**You’re a nice boy, but I doubt you can…**

Try me.

**Well…**

 

Peeko?

**She’s my Wingull. Like a daughter to me.**

_*The old man begins weeping again*_

It’s going to be fine.

**Sh-she’s all I have left!**

_*Another vision strikes you. It is of you weeping over a Combusken in a cave surrounded by five other broken pokeballs. Five other dead bodies lie nearby and the “you” in the vision wants to crawl into a pit and die. He (you?) wants to cradle all of them and beg all the gods you know of to bring them back._

_You want to stop thinking, but you can’t stop. You want to stop feeling, but you know that would be disrespectful to the dead lying less than two feet away from you._

_This is despair._

_This is a feeling you know intimately and as you blink back to reality you can see the signs of that feeling on the old man’s face. You understand this man’s feelings. No one should ever have to feel the despair of losing their loved ones. You take his shoulders.*_

Sir, wait here. I promise you I will get your Peeko back!

_*Your group runs into the tunnel*_

**So are we adding superhero to your resume now too?**

Shut up, Irwin.

Well, it is a legitimate question—though it could have been phrased a bit more delicately—Master Tommy

I… Look, I can’t stand by while someone is that messed up. Not if I can help.

_*You don’t realize it, but as you keep speaking your voice rises to a frantic crescendo*_

No one should ever have to be crushed by their despair. I will not let that stand. No matter what!

_*As your voice echoes through the cave walls you hear something else. A buzzing and—*_

Master Tommy!

_*You see Uno and suddenly he has a gash across his forehead. You blink and suddenly he’s being rammed into a cave wall by a red flash. Whatever is attacking is too fast for you to see and is probably going too fast for Uno to use his amazing defense…*_

Uno, use dig and then glare when you come up!

_*Uno breaks away from the red blur and burrows underground. Irwin and Eliza flank you on both sides in case the red blur comes after you while Irwin is out of sight. Luckily, you don’t have to worry about that because Uno comes up and the red blur finally stops._

_It is a Scizor. Uno lands a hit, but the Scizor still looks ready to attack. He’s bad shape so you decide to distract the Scizor by throwing a pokeball. You figure you’ll have at least ten seconds before it breaks out which will allow you to get Uno out of there and give Irwin enough time to fire a high powered water gun at it._

_The pokeball flies through the air and connects with the Scizor’s head. It dematerializes and you get ready to call back Uno, but—*_

Holy crap. Uno, are you alright?

I will be fine, Master Tommy. After we get out of here.

Back in the pokeball you go then _*ptchoo*_. And I guess we’ll meet our new, um, friend (?) later.

_*You all keep running and see a Team Aqua grunt holding a briefcase with his left hand and a Wingull under his arm.*_

_ Help me! He’s so sweaty and gross! Please! _

**We’re coming for you, Peeko!**

 

Look, just give me the Wingull and briefcase and nobody has to get hurt.

**Pfft. What can you do to me, kid?**

_*The Team Aqua grunt has about a foot and a half on you, but that doesn’t stop you from grabbing him by the collar and pulling him down to your level*_

I can kick your ass.

_*He pulls away and reaches for a pokeball on his belt*_

**Fine. Have it your way, kid.**

_*The Team Aqua grunt sends out a Lotad. You nod to Irwin and he jumps into the fray. He doesn’t have type advantage like Lotad does so you have him leer to lower its defense. In response it just growls pathetically. You and Irwin look at each other.*_

Irwin, finish this.

**Gladly.**

 

_*You snatch away the briefcase and push the Team Aqua grunt to the ground*_

So what was this all about? Why steal a stupid briefcase?

**I dunno—**

 

And your “boss” didn’t even tell you why you were stealing it?

**Well, no, but I’m sure it’s gonna be useful for the boss’ plans**

**What do you wanna bet he doesn’t know what those are either?**

Like five bucks.

**Mate, you’ve got way more than five bucks to bet. I’ve been in most of the battles with other trainers that you’ve won.**

Irwin, what are you even going to do with pokedollars?

**Get a hat.**

A hat?

_*While you and Irwin banter the Team Aqua grunt sneaks away very worried about his safety and your sanity.*_

Great. And now he’s escaped.

**Can I still have fifty bucks?**

Really, Irwin?

_*He shrugs and you give him fifty pokedollars. Moments later you hear the slow patter of footsteps. It’s the old man from before. He’s having trouble making his way to the cave so you take him to Peeko.*_

_*The old man takes a quick break from celebrating being reunited with Peeko and shakes your hand. Then he shakes Irwin’s*_

I’m Tommy and this is Irwin

**Yo.**

**I don’t know how I can ever repay the two of you.**

You really don’t have to

_*Holding out hand (claw?)*_ **Fifty pokedollars.**

Irwin!

**… Anyway, I’ll figure out something. Just stop on by my cottage on Route 104 tomorrow. I’m right outside of the Petalburg Woods.**

 

 _*As you watch Mr. Briney and Peeko leave you feel… at ease? Perhaps that’s not the best way to describe it, but it’s what your tired mind is coming up with. Today you prevented someone from falling into despair and that makes you happy and not just for the obvious reasons._ *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Riddle me this: who would you slip into despair for?


	7. A Conversation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A conversation. Nothing more, nothing less.

_*Master Tommy won’t stop staring at the pokeball in his hands. While the three (four if you count Eliza—which you don’t) of you were in the Rusturf Tunnel you helped him catch a Scizor. And now that everything’s died down he wants to meet it before taking the briefcase you all retrieved back to the man who lost it but…*_

 Okay so…

  **So what?**

 So this is a Scizor. Found in the wild. Doesn’t that strike you as a little bit odd?

 

  **Tommy, every time you see something "unexpected" (except for those Cradily) I say the** **same thing. Just roll with it. You're new here, remember?**

 Fine. Whatever.

_*Master Tommy holds the pokeball in the air before releasing the Scizor inside. Once it fully rematerializes the Scizor stares at him before lunging. Luckily Irwin is ready this time and is able to blast it back with a water gun long enough for Master Tommy to return the Scizor to its pokeball. But the Scizor is faster than Irwin can shoot. It blurs away and reappears standing atop of a tree.*_

**You may not understand me, but I’m going to kill you and take my freedom.**

 Master Tommy, run! I’ve got this!

 What?!?

_*Irwin grabs Master Tommy’s hand and drags him over to some nearby bushes just as the Scizor lands back on the ground*_

  **Just listen to Uno. He knows what he’s doing**

_*You stare down the Scizor*_

I will not allow you to harm Master Tommy.

****   **Get out of the way, old man. I don’t want to hurt you.**

_*You do not budge and the Scizor tries to speed past you. The thing is you may not be a fast mover, but you’re a fast learner. There’s a saying about “fool me once” or whatever and that very much applies to your fighting style._

_The Scizor does a weird little hop-step before blurring out, so you make sure to be in its way each time it tries. After three times of you cutting of the Scizor it smashes its claws into a nearby boulder. It’s one of the many left over after your battle with Regirock._

_Nothing makes your blood boil like remembering that monster coming at Master Tommy with killing intent. It’s a lot like right now, but you don’t really sense that determination in your opponent (future teammate?). You sense desperation in the Scizor which gives you an idea.*_

 You’ve got a lot of anger in you, young one.

****   **Fuck you and your ice cream koan bullshit.**

 Oh. Has someone else tried to talk to you about your anger before?

****   **Fucking duh. You. The Elders. My family. EVERYONE.**

 I’m fairly certain I may have something different to say. _*You laugh*_ So you're angry. That puts you in good company.

_*You think back to the look in Master Tommy’s eyes when he explained—more like shouted—why he needed to save Peeko for Mr. Briney. *_

The young master is very angry as well.

****_*laughing, harshly*_   **Is he now?**

Yes. I don’t think he even knows, but he carries with him the rage of five hundred  lifetimes.  There’s so much anger and  _despair_ in his eyes.

** **    **More hippie bullshit. Look, just because that kid is an “old soul” or whatever doesn’t mean—**

 The young master isn’t the only angry one in our party.

****  Oh, so now you’re gonna tell me that Croconaw’s sob story.

 No. Oddly enough, despite everything Irwin has told me, he carries very little anger with  him. I meant me. I’m very angry.

****  You? What do you have to be mad about? Is the mud too wet down there? 

 

_*You stare the Scizor in its eyes. The eye contact lasts for about five seconds before the Scizor looks away*_

 I am a Dunsparce. My kind do not last very long. Especially on their own. To survive I had to become something stronger and meaner than everything that would harm me. A few days I took down a Tyranitar. Less than an hour ago I bested you, and right now if I wished it I could do it even faster. But despite all that. Despite the scores of assailants I left in my wake during my youth. Despite how many times I proved myself there were so many out there who would still doubt, discount, and marginalize me for what I am.

****   …

Ah, I seem to have struck a chord.

****  Shut up.

 … For all that I am Master Tommy does not treat me as less. Without a moment’s hesitation he sent me to protect him from Regirock. Hell, in the first battle between you and I he had every chance to call me back and send out Irwin and didn’t. I don’t think he ever considered it because he sees me as someone who can fight for himself.

****  So what’s that gotta do with me?

Well, if you really wanted to be released all you would have to do is ask. I’m fairly  certain Master Tommy would respect your wishes

****   **Oh really.**

Yes, really. But then again, say you wanted to start all over.

****   **Who says I do?**

 We’re saying it as a hypothetical. So hypothetically you want the chance to start over—to be somewhere you could be respected for who you what to be—this is it. Join us as we travel all over to get Master Tommy back to Johto. I can’t promise that you’ll stop being angry, but I can promise that in our rag tag group you probably won’t even care anymore. So. What do you say?

_*The Scizor smashes its claw into the boulder again, this time completely shattering it. You can hear Master Tommy and Irwin in the bushes, and you choose to be brave for them. You will not flinch. This Scizor will not scare you*_

****   … I need some time to think.

 And time you shall have. By the way, what can we call you?

_*The Scizor bristles as if you’ve struck another nerve, but quickly lowers its hackles. A wan smile appears on its face.*_

****  Ellen Jr. You can call me Ellen Jr.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Riddle me this: can you really ever start all over?


	8. The Mission

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Money, dear boy.

_*The sun is setting as you run back into Rustboro City. The way the stupid scientist looks at you once he sees you and your team running his way with the briefcase*_

 

**Fifty pokedollars.**

Irwin, you really need to stop asking for money from people who can’t understand you.

**That’s what makes it funny, mate.**

_*The stupid scientist passes you the Great Ball and takes your hand. He’s about to leave when he suddenly puts his hand to his left ear as if he were listening to something*_

Um.

_*The scientist leads you by the hand through the city to the biggest skyscraper. There is a marquee above the door with a stylized D that looks like the bottom half a pokeball. You briefly wonder if whatever this place is (The Devon Corporation, you suddenly remember thanks to a sudden psychic flash) Hoenn’s answer to Sylph Co._

_Once inside the scientist lets you go and skitters off to a receptionist. They’re far enough away that you can’t hear anything they say so instead you try to guess by watching their body language. Maybe that’s something in your new powerset?_

_She nods in a very tight lipped manner (she’s annoyed and probably thinks he’s as stupid as you think he is) as he gestures wildly to you (telling her about how you valiantly saved his briefcase). After a minute of him gesturing she holds up a finger and then points to the elevator*_

**So. Uh. What’s going on, mate?**

Hoenn weirdness.

_*The scientist wanders back over and leads you to the elevator*_

So…?

**Oh. Right! Well, I was going to give you an experimental pokeball, but when I tried to call up to my desk well…**

Well, what?

**Well the call got intercepted by Mr. Stone.**

**Holy shit**

Who’s Mr. Stone?

**Well Mr. Stone is—**

I wasn’t asking you. Irwin, why are you sweating like that?

_*The elevator stops and the door opens. Irwin is still shaking. The stupid scientist steps out and suddenly he’s a different person. His posture. His walk. The very energy around him. It all seems much more confident *_

**Mr. Stone has a job for you.**

**Holy shit.**

You already said that.

_*The scientist doesn’t respond this time. Instead he looks at you with his head cocked. His gaze reminds you of Roxanne’s and that unsettles you.*_

Wait, what?

**You’ve proven yourself reliable and we would like for you to deliver some goods to one of our partners in Slateport City, Capt. Stern. You’ll be compensated monetarily, of course.**

_*You and Irwin look at each other*_

Deal. **Deal.**

**"Albert!"**

**Ah, yes.**

P-p-president?

**That’s who Mr. Stone is.**

Holy shit.

**Holy shit indeed.**

And you! What was with the…? _*You gesture in the air*_

**Do you mean the manner by which I conducted myself up until now?**

_*Irwin nods*_

**Mr. Stone prefers that his agents be able to… weave in and out unnoticed.**

That’d definitely be one way of putting it.

_*Sitting in front of you at an ornate mahogany desk is a man in a magnificent bespoke suit. In his lap is a tiny Snubbul.*_

 

**T’weren’t nothin.**

He meant me, Irwin.

**"I meant both of you."**

**Wait, can he understand me?**

**"No, I cannot understand your… Irwin? After this many years in business you develop a talent for reading body language."**

Oh. Cool. I guess?

**"But you, Tommy. You seem to have understanding Pokémon as one of your actual talents."**

Well, uh… I’m a psychic.

_*Mr. Stone smirks*_

 

Well, yeah. I did literally just agree to that.

**For money.**

Oh, yeah. Right! For _money_.

 

**To STEVEN FUCKING STONE?**

_*You glare at Irwin. Mr. Stone laughs as if he is in on some greater joke happening right now. Irwin's excited, but you feel suspicious. Why on earth would the head a major technology corporation ask an eleven year old to do his business for him? You put on your best poker face and lean over Mr. Stone's desk. This is totally something a mature negotiator would do.*_

So why should I deliver your mail?

_*He grins. Something seems simultaneously shark-like and grandfatherly about that grin*_

**"Financial compensation. 50,000 pokedollars plus whatever Albert was going to pay you."**

**I was going to pay 10,000, sir.**

**"Ah, so 60,000 pokedollars to deliver my mail."**

_*You and Irwin look at each other and then to the sky above. Fuck your suspicions. God, Arceus, or whatever divine being rules this world must really like you today*_

Deal. **Deal.**

**"I thought you'd agree. Oh. And also allow me to give you this."**

_*Mr. Stone tosses you a small device. It’s about the same size as your pokedex except roundish and yellow with a big blue button at the center*_

 

**"This is a custom model that only my agents carry. It's much more durable and can receive calls even from 30,000 feet below sea level."**

_*Albert flashes his as proof. You wonder why anyone would need a PokéNav below 30,000 feet below sea level. Also, agents? Does that mean Mr. Stone is saying—*_

**"Come see me after you complete this errand, and we’ll talk about your future employment for Devon Co."**

_*You get a vision of you shaking hands with Mr. Stone and accepting a job as one of his “agents.” Thanks to your new understanding of your visions you end up guffawing loudly in the present Mr. Stone’s face._

_Irwin facepalms. Mr. Stone’s smirk goes from confident to strained. Albert starts leading you out the door. He explains that the package to Capt. Stern need to get to him by the end of the week. You figure that gives you four days to get to Dewford Town, Deliver Steven’s letter, and beat the gym which would leave you two to spare._

_As you head out of town to the Gym Challenger’s bus station you shake the briefcase. Albert the apparently not stupid scientist said it had materials for an experimental pokeball and some spare parts. Maybe you’ll get a vision telling you what they’re for or-*_

**"Tommy? Is that you?"**

May?

**"Hey, Tommy! Nice briefcase."**

I know, right? I got it so I could deliver stuff for Mr. Stone.

**He even gave Tommy a Pokénav~.**

Yeah! He even gave me a Pokénav

**"Ooh, lemme register your number in mine."**

_*You hand your PokéNav to May and Irwin grins*_

**"Well now I can call you anytime!"**

**Yeah, Tommy. _Anytime._**

Shut up, Irwin.

**"Hmm? What’d he say?"**

S-something rude.

**"Oh. Well. I just think it’s so interesting that you can understand him."**

_*You shrug. At this point the novelty of understanding Pokémon kinda worn off. May laughs and playfully punches your arm. Perhaps you should ask May—*_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Riddle me this: $$$?


	9. Versus May

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kick, push. Kick, push.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter includes a description of something similar to disassociation and begins the story having graphic descriptions of violence.

Huh?

**“A battle! Your pokemon has evolved, you’re running errands for Devon Stone, and don’t think I didn’t notice that you’re standing at the Gym Challenge bus station.”**

Am I?

**“You are. So…”**

So.

**“Let’s battle!”**

Uh…

_*May looks you in the eyes. There are people around, so you really can’t refuse now. You decide to send out Uno. He’s your tank handle can handle whatever May sends out. She sends out a Ludicolo*_

What the actual fuck?

**“Excuse me?”**

That is a Ludicolo. At level thirteen.

**“I’m not sure what the problem is?”**

Lotad doesn’t evolve into Lombre until level fourteen.

_*May laughs and a shiver goes down your spine.*_

**“Tommy, how do you know so much about Hoenn pokemon? You just got here last week.”**

Um…

_*You stop talking and focus on the battle. Neither pokemon has type advantage. You can’t have Uno use dig, because Ludicolo could make the ground muddy or something— Ludicolo grabs Uno and uses absorb.*_

Uno, use rage!

Do it again!

_*May’s Ludicolo topples to the ground. Uno sits on its belly triumphant. In this moment you wonder who could ever think Uno was a weak Pokémon. In the past week he’s taken down so many opponents bigger and theoretically stronger.*_

**“Wow, Tommy. That was pretty good.”**

Well, Uno is amazing.

Thank you, Master Tommy.

_*May nods and sends out her Nidoran. It looks stronger, but not by that much. Neither Pokémon has type advantage, but a ground type attack would give you an advantage*_

Uno, dig!

**“Nidoran, focus energy!”**

_*While Uno burrows and Nidoran buffs her stats a quiet tension descends over the battlefield. The many lookers on don’t even murmur. Instead, they watch with a voyeuristic anticipation. And then you feel it. A rumbling from underground.*_

**“Nidoran, be ready to double kick once the Dunsparce comes up!”**

Gotcha

_*Uno pops up from the ground underneath the Nidoran and launches her into the air. Before she can get too far away though she grabs Uno by the wings, pulls back her left hind leg, and kicks twice. Type advantage.*_

_*Uno lands on the ground unceremoniously. This is the first time any of your team has fainted. You feel a weird sensation running through your veins. Like shards of glass bumping and tearing against the walls._

_You reach for Uno’s pokeball to return him. You’ll have to go back to the Pokemon center before you catch the bus. You press the button, but Uno doesn’t dematerialize. Of course the pokeball would malfunction now. You make a time out gesture and walk into the battlefield to carry Uno out.*_

Sorry, May. Uno’s pokeball isn’t working.

_*You look up at her to shrug, but there’s something wrong. May is staring at Uno, eyes wide. Uno’s pretty beat up, and that’s her Nidoran’s fault. You won’t hold that against her, you were— Uno is not breathing. That’s the first thing you notice when you pick him up.*_

Uno?

**“T-tommy, I’m so sorry.”**

Uno? Irwin! There’s something wrong with Uno!

**“Tommy we should call this-”**

_*You don’t feel a heartbeat. Irwin is beside you. He takes Uno out of your arms. He shakes his head*_

**Tommy… I think he’s dead.**

* * *

_*…_

_…_

_…_

_For a second your vision gets hazy. Everything around you just blurs into one single point of darkness around Uno’s body. Your mouth is open, but you don’t know if any sound is coming out. It’s as if someone shattered a windowpane inside your body. Each individual shard of glass cuts through your flesh and worms its way into your veins and arteries. You wince, squeezing your eyes shut as the shards of glass in your veins suddenly start speeding towards your heart and stomach and lungs. You can’t breathe. You feel blood between your fingers. You feel your skull cracking open. You feel a lot of physical pain. But this isn’t real, right? Uno isn’t d-d-d-d-d-d-d-d-d-d-d-d-d-d-d-d-d-d-d-d-d-d-d-d-d-d-d-d-d-d—_

_The only way to know for certain is to double check. You open your eyes. Everything is featureless and colorless. It is just as bright as before but you are no longer in Rustboro City._

_Or are you?_

_May’s voice echoes through the “Tommy, I’m so sorry! Tommy I’m so sorry!”_

_And then you see Uno again. He’s in your arms, still. You see hands rising from the earth below. Descending from the skies above. Appearing from nowhere in the air. They're all reaching for Uno, and you will NOT let them take him._

_"But it isn't up to you," an unfamiliar voice snickers._

_You start running. That's all you can think of doing, but the hands. The hands are tenacious and everywhere. It isn't even a fight when they take Uno from you. He practically slips out of your arms and into them. And you're left alone._

_"You can always just walk away," the new voice laughs, echoing Roxanne's words.*_

* * *

**“Tommy?”**

_*Irwin tosses a pokeball into the battlefield. His head hurts and his vision is suddenly hazy. Despite all that he knows he needs to make sure Tommy is at least some modicum of okay. He’s just lying there in the dirt with Uno’s body wrapped in his arms. Irwin wants to throw up. The Scizor pops out of the ball*_

**What? What’s going on?**

**J-just handle the battle.**

_*The Scizor attacks. This gives Irwin time to focus on waking Tommy. At least now he’s stopped screaming, but Irwin’s head is banging and there’s a crowd gathering around and there’s something else in his head right now. A feeling. A feeling he can’t name. Not yet, at least. It makes Irwin want to jump off a cliff and weep. It feels like the sensation of jumping off a cliff and weeping itself.*_

**“Please stop!”**

_*Irwin looks back to the battle and the Scizor looks confused and angry as she stands over the Nidoran. May returns her Nidoran to her pokeball. *_

**“I… Tommy, I’m so sorry. Let me—”**

_*The Scizor gets in her way, preventing May from taking a single step closer. An evil feeling rises from within Irwin. He remembers how not so long ago the Scizor tried to murder Tommy. He wishes the Scizor would go after May. Irwin hates himself for this.*_

**“Please, you have to let me help him! Someone help!”**

**Look, whatever your name is—**

**Ellen Jr.**

**Whatever. Help me get Tommy out of here**

_*Ellen Jr. looks over Irwin and Tommy and Uno’s body.*_

**Okay.**

_*Ellen Jr slings Tommy over her shoulder and tucks Irwin under her arm. Before she leaps away she sees that the trainer—Tommy, right?—is still cradling Uno in his arms. On the ground below as the three bound away a small crowd forms around a bloodstain on the street*_

* * *

_*Ellen Jr finally stops leaping once they clear the Petalburg woods. Irwin tries to take Uno’s body from Tommy*_

**L-look, tommy. We gotta bury him**

…

_*Irwin touches Tommy’s arm and almost throws up. He looks away and sees that Ellen Jr is already doing that in the nearby tall grass. Tommy’s grip on Uno finally loosens five minutes later. A blankness consumes him. Irwin decides not to dwell on this and gets Ellen Jr to dig a hole near the entrance to the Petalburg Woods. Once it’s done they place Uno inside and replace the dirt. Irwin makes an impromptu grave marker by placing Uno’s pokeball on a stick*_

**I’m so sorry, mate.**

**…**

_*Tommy gets up suddenly and starts walking. His expression is still blank and something seems very off about the way he’s moving. It’s almost as if he’s moving by muscle memory…_

_He keeps walking until he reaches a little shack by the beach. Irwin sees that the mailbox reads Mr. Briney*_

**Tommy, what are you doing?**

**…**

**I… I think we should follow him.**

**Grand prize to the genius bug!**

_*He knocks on the door and enters. Mr. Briney who was playing with Peeko greets everyone with a big grin.*_

H e l l o

Y e s, t h a t  I s  m e. M r. B r I n e y, I  h a v e  b e e n  g I v e n  a  m I s s I o n  b y  M r.  S t o n e  o f  t h e  D e v o n  C o r p o r a t I o n. H e  w a n t s  f o r  m e  t o  d e l I v e r  t h I s  l e t t e r t o  D e w f o r d  T o w n  a n d t h I s  B r I e f c a s e  t o  S l a t e p o r t  C I t y. I  w a s  h o p I n g  I  c o u l d  c a l l  I n  t h a t  f a v o r  a n d  a s k  y o u  t o  t a k e  u s  I n  y o u r  b o a t?

_*If Mr. Briney notices how… off Tommy sounds, he doesn’t show it. Instead he grins again and pulls a dusty sea captain hat on his head.*_

**And after you deliver your letter I’ll drop you off in Slateport City no problem. It’s the least I could do for the young man who saved my Peeko.**

Thank you, Mr. Briney

_*A few minutes later Mr. Briney is leading everyone onto his boat. Tommy seems back to normal. Well, at least no longer in zombie mode. Instead he sits at the bow silent, radiating a fuck off aura. Irwin feels something stirring in his stomach again.*_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Riddle me this: who would you not want to speak at your funeral?


	10. Interludes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which the cast reacts to recent events without actually furthering the main plot

**ONE**

* * *

_*Tommy leans over the edge of Mr. Briney’s boat. Peeko has assured you that he won’t fall over, but you don’t want to risk leaving him alone*_

 

  **You need sleep.**

 

**Holy fu- where’d you come from?**

  **I’ve been here the whole time.**

_*The Scizor—Ellen Jr?—unsettles you. She joined your team after trying to kill—um. Anyway.*_

**Why don’t _you_ go to sleep then?**

**I did. Four hours ago. And I had been sleeping in my pokeball before that. What about you? When’s the last time _you_ slept?**

**Um…**

_*Almost twelve hours ago. And that isn’t too bad, but today you did battle a gym leader and take down a criminal…*_

**I’m not tired.**

  **Really?**

**Really**.

_*She looks at the ground.*_

**So. What happened?**

**You were there.**

  **Yes, but—**

****But what? Why’d Tommy take it so hard? Are you confused he’s sad someone died? Less than six hour ago you were trying to—

_*Your voice slowly rises as you speak to her. Uno was your friend. Wasn’t he? You try to think of everything you know about Uno… and draw a blank._

_You know you told him about your mother, but he never told you anything about his past. It’s not like you asked either. But would he have told you anything if you had? Uno was so guarded. At this realization you start crying*_

 

  **Look. I’m not confused why you’re sad. I’m s— I just… what was what?**

**What was what?**

  **When he died I _felt_ it.**

**Not used to empathy?**

  **Excuse me?**

**Less than six hour ago you ambushed us. You tried to kill Uno and then you tried to kill Tommy. Lady, I don’t know what double sociopath spawned you; but you do not get to sit here and act all “what is this feeling” while Tommy is—is…**

_*Faster than you can see Ellen Jr. picks you up by the throat and slams you on the deck. Her grip is loose enough that you can breathe, but tight enough that you can’t blast her.*_

 

  **One more time. I get that you’re grieving, _but you do not_ get to lash out at me. If it weren’t for me we would still be in Rustboro City. I am not your enemy here.**

_*The two of you lock eyes. And it is hard to maintain eye contact through all the ears blocking your view. Dammit if you’re going to be the one who blinks first. But you do anyway._

_Fuck. Fuck! Fuck!!_

_The last thing you wanted to do was let this asshole see you buckle. You try to take a deep breath, but with Ellen Jr’s craw around your throat it’s impossible. The last thing you want to see before you die (and God, how is Tommy going to take that?) is your killer so you squeeze your eyes shut._

_…_

_…_

_…?_

_Wait. She hasn’t done anything to you. Slowly, you open one eye and blink away the leftover tears. Hold up. She’s crying too. Ellen Jr. releases you to wipe her eyes with both claws. Her eyes are almost as red as her organic steel exterior._

_You feel even more like shit.*_

** ** _*Beat*_ **I was out of line.**

  **Yes. You were.**

**Sorry. I mean… Let’s just try this again.**

  **Try what? Me choke-slamming you on the poop deck?**

**Haha, poop.**

  **… Really?**

**What? Poop is a funny word.**

  **If you’re three years old.**

_** ** _ _*Huffs*_ **I’ll have you know that I am _four_ years old.**

  **Arceus, help me. **

**** Jk, lol.

  **… Anyways. **

**Oh right. You were trying to ask something?**

*Ellen Jr. takes a deep breath.*

  **One of the last things Uno said to me was that sticking around was my chance to get a fresh start. Since I’m all fresh and whatever I don’t know the “basics” of how this group works.**

**What does this have to do with Uno dying?**

  **Look. When he died I was still in my pokeball, but I felt it. Like… I couldn’t breathe anymore? And my stomach was in a vice. And then this overwhelming—**

_*She pauses, the word trapped on her tongue. You search your heart, because you know exactly what she means. When Uno died you felt all those things and more._

_Peeko soars overhead. She must’ve heard the commotion and decided to check on you. And there! The perfect word for what Ellen Jr. can’t say and you can only kind of describe pops into your head from a memory. What Tommy said when you were rescuing Peeko.*_

**Despair?**

  **Yeah? And I’m just… what was that?**

_*You think for a moment.*_

****Tommy’s a psychic.

_*Ellen Jr. points her left claw at Tommy incredulously.*_

  **Him. He’s a psychic? But aren’t they supposed to be all—**

_*Ellen Jr. shuts her eyes and makes an exaggerated expression of false serenity*_

**And yet Tommy is still one of them. Anyway, I think he talks to us by linking us all up telepathically. Theoretically he could do it with other humans in his psionic range, but I guess he’s just creating the link passively right now?**

  **…**

**What?**

  **Um. I thought you were stupid.**

**Oi! Where did you get that idea? Stupid? Me? I used to be a lab pokemon!**

  **Right. Sorry! Just keep explaining!**

**Fine. So my theory at the moment is that because Uno died while the psychic link was up there was a psionic backlash. Tldr: we felt what Uno felt as he died because Tommy made us and then all that despair—**

  **Came from Tommy.**

**Probably.**

_*But that’s the thing you aren’t saying. Tommy shut down almost instantly when he realized what had happened. Even more importantly the Despair hit you before Tommy even realized Uno was dead. You could have told Ellen Jr. that it came from Uno himself as the final thing he thought and felt before dying, but something in your gut says that is not the case.*_

  **So…**

**So?**

  **So you really need to go get some sleep. You look terrible.**

**Thanks. But no. Tommy needs me.**

  **Tommy needs you at 100% and you clearly aren’t. Seriously, go nap. I’ll watch him.**

**… Fine. Just wake me if he goes back to normal.**

  **… Um?**

__*****sighing* **Just wake me if calls for me.**

  **Sure. Whatever.**

* * *

**TWO**

* * *

_*The PokeNav in your pocket is ringing._

 

_It has been since you got on the boat. You have a feeling that it might be May. When she added her number to your phone she might’ve had the ability to add this pop song that has been playing on repeat as her ringtone._

_You have no desire to talk to May. You have no desire to talk to anybody right now. There are so many things wrong right now and you think you are owed some goddamn moments of peace and or quiet. Or at least the right to check out while you grieve._

_…_

_…_

_…_

_Okay. So you don’t actually want to “grieve.” There’s already a malaise over your head that you will probably never shake. There’s also something else much more important that you would like to focus on. Right now you are on a boat and have no real idea how you got here._

_You remember blacking out. And you remember Irwin making Uno’s gravestone. Then you remember having a vision, but once it ended you were here. Crying on the bow. Maybe you can ask Irwin about it? Despite your eyes being locked on the horizon you can tell that he’s watching you._ _Later. You just don’t feel ready yet. So you wait._

_Several half- starts later Irwin starts to leave after getting into a fight with the Scizor—what was her name again?—and seemingly making up. You’re about to stop him when the phone starts ringing again. It is a different ringtone this time. You pick it up.*_

**Tommy? Son, May called me. I—I am so sorry. There is probably nothing I can say to make you feel better. Losing a Pokémon is something no trainer is ever prepared for—it, it happens so rarely.**

_*Your father pauses. Perhaps he is expecting you to say something. To change his monologue into a dialogue or something. You remain silent.*_

**Son, you should come home. I can take off from the gym and your mother will be here. We can—**

Dad.

**Yes, Tommy?**

I’m… I’m fine.

**Fine or not you need to come home. May told me that you—**

Dad, I’m not coming back to Littleroot.

**What?**

I’m not coming back to Littleroot.

_*When you shut your eyes a new vision plays before you. In it is a version of you that politely asks Mr. Briney to turn the boat around so you can go back to Littleroot Town. He goes back to his parents' house there and crawls into the bed._

_The vision suddenly blacks out there as if his future stops right at that point. Going back to Littleroot is something that can't happen, you decide.*_

****Considering what happened to you and how—according to May and several witnesses—you reacted I think you should. Son, please.** **

No. I _*sighs*_ I need to keep going.

_*You take a deep breath. When you were a kid living in Olivine City your grandfather told you all anybody ever needs to do to feel grounded is keep their eyes on the horizon. He was right. You feel a little bit stronger.*_

If I go home th-then I would be stuck in one place. And I can’t do that. If I sit still I’m going to go crazy. I—I need to keep moving, and staying on my journey is going to keep me moving.

**Son—**

Dad, it’s great that you care. But I’ve gotta go

_*You put the PokeNav’s ringer on silent.*_

**Irwin said that I was supposed to wake him up when you started talking.**

Holy fucking shit

**Oh. Did I surprise you?**

Yes! Are you some kind of big red ninja something?

**Whatever. So should I wake Irwin or…?**

Why’re you asking me?

_*The Scizor—you still haven’t asked her name—shrugs.*_

**Maybe you still want to go back to vegetable mode or something.**

Is this your personality or something?

**What?**

Being all blunt and—

**Nope.**

Nope, what?

**Irwin and I literally just did this. So let me summarize this conversation so we don’t have to have it: I’m blunt or whatever and that is very easy to misinterpret as me not caring or whatever, but I do. You realize that I’m just a big softie and we bond over the fact that we’re both multifaceted people or whatever.**

… What? You know what? Never mind. Um…?

**Ellen Jr.**

Never mind, Ellen Jr. Look, I can tell you came over to say something other than “Irwin wants to talk to you” so what is it?

**Right. So can you fill me in on everything?**

Everything?

**You being psychic. What we’re doing. Why you told your father you don’t want to come home**

_*Ellen Jr. leans against the railing next to you.*_

Oh. Well, It’s actually a pretty long story. Like, if it were a book or something it would span about eight chapters or so plus a prologue.

**Well it sure is great that this is a long trip.**

Oh! And Ellen Jr?

**Yeah?**

Would you mind filling me in on what happened after the battle?

**You don't remember?**

Nothing whatsoever after we were at, um, the grave.

_*Ellen Jr. gives you a sideways glance. You think this might be the closest you'll get to seeing clear concern on her face.*_

**Sure. Whatever.**

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Riddle me this: what do you do to get back to normal?


	11. Psychic Tricks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yet another cave. Does this appease the spirit of Joseph Campbell yet?

_*Dewford town comes into view a couple hours after Ellen Jr. starts talking to you. By then you’ve filled her in on everything and vice versa. In retrospect it all sounds pretty unbelievable. Especially the part of Ellen Jr’s report about you suddenly going on autopilot._

_You feel as if the two of you have been talking for two weeks—or more—so being on land is going to feel like a vacation._

_Irwin pops back up when Mr. Briney is pulling his boat into the harbor.*_

**Uh… hi Tommy.**

G’afternoon, sleepyhead.

**…**

**I don’t think he liked it.**

Should I have said “g’afternoon, mate”?

**I don’t sound like that.**

**You sure, _mate_?**

**Holy God in heaven forgive me fo—**

**Dewford Town Harbor!**

Thank you so much, Mr. Briney.

**After what you did for Peeko? It’s nothing.**

Right! I could’ve never seen Mr. Briney ever again. Or worse!

_*You nod vaguely.*_

Thankfully it wasn’t. We’ll see you after we deliver this letter

_*Irwin hops off the boat and into the water. He looks pretty at home swimming circles in the sea for a freshwater Pokémon. Instead of waiting for Mr. Briney to lower the gangplank Ellen Jr. just picks you up and leaps down to the dock. You do not nearly wet yourself or throw up.*_

Was that necessary?

**Very.**

**Oi! So where do we take this letter anyway?**

**Yeah, that’s one part of your story that kinda confused me.**

What do you mean?

**That guy gave you the letter but did he even tell you where Steven would be?**

Well no, but—

_*You sit down on the edge of the dock with your legs hanging off the side and take the letter out of your bag. Since it is a letter you’re expecting for there to be at the very least an address on it. There is not. Instead smack dab in the center in fancy script are the words “To Steven”*_

Well, fuck

**That’s what I’m saying**

**I think it might be some kind of interview**

What?

**Well, Mr. Stone was hinting that he wanted to make us his agents, right? I mean the special Pokénav is the biggest sign of that. What if this is like a test to see if we’d be able to do the job and then once we do we’ve got it?**

**Well fuck that.**

What she said. Mr. Briney is literally right there. We can just tell him the plan has changed and go right to Slateport.

_*Irwin puts a hand (claw?) on your knee.*_

**But the money.**

_*Cash register noises fill your ears*_

So we’re going to ask everyone in this town if they know where Steven is

**Are you serious right now?**

_*You are. And that’s what you do._

_The three of you spend a couple hours asking every person and Pokémon you meet. It doesn’t take that long since for all intents and purposes Dewford Town is pretty small. If you had access to the internet you’d bet dollars to doughnuts that it has the same population as Oldale Town or Petalburg City._

_Anyway, all the people you talk to can agree that Steven was last spotted north of town near Granite Cave.*_

**Now I’m just a humble Pokémon–**

_*through a laugh cough*_ **I call bullshit.**

_*Ellen Jr. smacks him in the head with both of her claws.*_

**_Now I'm just a humble Pokémon_ that hasn’t really interacted much with humans, but is the money really worth spelunking through some cave?**

**EJ—**

**Don’t call me that.**

**Look, human economy is weird. Think of money like Sitrus berries. Like, in the wild if you have a bunch stockpiled then you can take more risks when fighting for territory or hunting because you know that you have a bunch of Sitrus berries as insurance to heal you later. Money is like that, but it encompasses more because it changes hands and is semi-permanent.**

**…**

…

**What?**

_*You and Ellen Jr. look at each other sheepishly.*_

Anyway, let’s go in the cave!

**Excuse me, young man!**

_*There’s a Hiker leaning against the cave wall. He’s maybe your dad’s age*_

Hi?

**Are you a trainer?**

_*Instead of answering you point to the two Pokémon following you and your pokeball belt.*_

**Right well…**

  
No worries. We’re just looking for Steven Stone

**Yeah, I saw him. He’s probably in the deepest darkest part of the cave, kid. Are you sure you want to go on? Do you even have a fire type to light your way or something?**

Uh…

_*The hiker rolls his eyes and takes off his backpack*_

  
Whoa. I’ve never seen an HM up close before. What does this one do?

**It’s for Flash which can illuminate any dark space.**

Well that sure is convenient!

**Tommy, I’m hearing a “but” coming.**

  
**So you might as well just turn back.**

_*You mull this over for a moment. In your mind’s eye you see every nook and cranny of this cave. It’s almost as if you have a map from having walked this path five hundred times before in your head.*_

Thanks, but I think I’ll be fine

  
**Tommy are you sure about this?**

Kinda sorta. I’m getting psychic vibes

Oh no, that’s just coming from me

Um… what are you?

I’m a Spoink! Hee hee. Aren’t you going to try to capture me?

_*You reach for one for one of the empty pokeballs on your belt, but stop.*_

I think I’m going to pass. But maybe you should talk to that Hiker guy

_*The Spoink shrugs and bounces away. The three of you continue deeper into the cave. A few minutes pass before Ellen Jr. taps you on the shoulder.*_

**What was that?**

Hmm?

**That Spoink was practically begging for you to catch it. What was that?**

**Ellen Jr…**

No, she’s right. I, uh, don’t want to add to the team right now.

**Is this an Uno thing?**

_*You feel very small right now._

_The only thing you can do is nod, but it isn’t what you want out of this situation._

_What you want is to not feel like you’re grieving by not wanting to add to your team. What you want is to not be grieving in the first place, but that’s neither here nor there at this point._

_Irwin tugs on your pants leg.*_

**Oi, you know what it’s time for?**

An 80s movie montage sequence?

 _*Whispering*_   **What’s an 80s movie?**

** Shh! It’s time for hugs. Group hugs. **

**Do I have to join in?**

** Yes. That's what a group hug means, mate. **

Do I have to accept the hugs?

**Yes.**

_*You crouch down on the ground and your Pokémon wrap their arms around you. Irwin is still the giver of the best hugs, but at least Ellen Jr. feels as awkward about this as you do. When she lets you go something falls out of your pocket. The Pokénav. Music fills the cave._

_80s music to be specific. *_

**Oh my god.**

**What?**

**He really is psychic**

**… So that’s 80s movie montage music?**

More or less. I guess the Pokénav has some kind of internet radio function?

**I don’t know what to be more impressed by—that the Pokénav still has signal in here or that it just so happened to turn itself on to the type of music you wanted by coincidence.**

_*You click open the Pokénav and see that the radio has several other stations to pick from. And suddenly you get an idea. *_

Hey Irwin.

**What?**

If we’re listening to 80s movie montage music, shouldn’t we do the stuff you normally see in montages?

**But there’s no houses to clean… Wait you don’t mean—**

Training montage!

_*Bombastic song and song fills the cave. You hear singers declaring what girls really want, loving computers, and one dancey tune about a girl who works hard but also might be a serial killer? Whatever, the 80s were weird._

_The thing about playing loud music of any kind in a place like this is it tends to attract Pokémon. You expect angry Zubat to swarm or something, but instead you get happy Sunflora who all want to dance. Irwin and Ellen Jr. have no trouble dispatching them, but as you journey deeper into the cave more and more out of place Pokémon appear. Chansey climbing stalactites. Mareep under boulders. It’s all very unsettling._

_Irwin can shrug all he wants, but there is no way a bunch of Tentacool flapping around in the dirt far away from any water source is normal. After Ellen Jr. takes them out you and Irwin backtrack to carry the knocked out Tentacool to a little spring a few floors back up.*_

  
**So how much longer until we find Steven?**

Well there’s one more ladder and then—

_*Irwin starts pulling on your pants leg again.*_

**Oi, can I have some paper and a pen?**

… Why?

**He’s gonna write Steven a love letter.**

**Shut up!**

Are you?

**No! I, uh, just want his autograph.**

_*You and Ellen Jr. look at each other. After a beat you start laughing.*_

**Shut up!**

Dude, is he even that famous?

**Don’t ask me, I just learned what 80s music was.**

**Well, duh. He’s a world famous geologist and—**

_*Laughing*_ **And we all know how important rocks are.**

**You know what forget it.**

No, no sorry. Here

_*You reach into your back and hand Irwin your notebook and a pen right before you climb down the ladder where Steven should be. Standing in the far corner of the room is a man with silvery blue hair in an amazing bespoke suit. What kind of geologist goes into a cave like this dressed like that, you don’t know. He kind of looks like Mr. Stone minus thirty years.*_

  
Uh, Steven?

_ Hmm? _

  
Your dad sent us here to give you this letter.

_ Oh really? Thank you very much…? _

Tommy. Tommy Marple

_*Steven reaches out to shake your hand. Your grandpa told you that a good handshake is firm, but gentle. As an eleven year old this is a balance you still haven’t mastered. Oddly enough neither has Steven. His grip is tight and rigid. He lets go before our hands starts to hurt*_

_ So you’re one of my father’s agents? _

Pfft, no. I just stumbled into this after I saved, uh, what was his name?

**Albert.**

Right. Albert. I saved Albert from getting mugged and then got his briefcase back from a thief.

_ Impressive. And these are your Pokémon? _

_*Steven is staring intently at Ellen Jr. He holds up a magnifying glass to his eye. If she feels as uncomfortable as you do with this, she doesn’t show it.*_

Well, yeah.

_ Do you normally keep them outside of their pokeballs? _

_*snickering*_ **I have a pokeball?**

Shut up, Irwin.

_ Excuse me? _

My Croconaw just said something sass—oh wait! He wanted your autograph!

_ He wants my autograph? _

Yes.

_*Irwin—who has been hiding behind your leg this whole time, star struck—peeks out and holds up the notebook. Steven laughs.*_

_ Tommy, it’s alright to ask for an autograph for yourself. _

I… know? But Irwin was the one who asked, so.

_ Did he now? _

_*Steven’s tone is suddenly serious.*_

Well, I’m kinda psychic.

_*Steven raises an eyebrow. Then he looks you up and down. And then he smiles a perfect movie star smile.*_

_ And with a low grade telepathic link you’re able to translate their words into something you can understand? _

**That’s what I’ve been saying!**

Um… yes.

_ Well, I’m not a psychic myself, but I did receive some training from Tate and Liza so I could withstand being a non-psychic in a telepathic link. Would you mind—? _

**Yes. I mean, no! Tommy, you have to do this! There’s so much I have to say.**

**I just want to see the little nerd embarrass himself.**

Uh, I’ll try?

_*You put your fingers to your temples and try to focus on Steven’s brains. All the psychics in movies and TV do this when they activate their powers.*_

Did it work? Irwin say something.

**Something.**

Smartass.

_ … Did he say something important? _

Dangit. I’m new at this. I'm not really good at all the psychic tricks yet?

_ New? _

Like I started my Pokémon journey last week and I’ve been psychic for just as long.

_ Really? Are you even sure you’re a psychic? _

What.

_ You may just be speaking with your Pokémon in earnest. _

Yeah, no. I’m totally psychic.

_*Steven raises an eyebrow*_

_ Then you wouldn’t mind proving it, right? _

_*Steven smiles and it triggers a vision. You’re standing in front of Steven in a blue room with bright lights surrounding you. At your side is a Blaziken._

_“I congratulate you for making it this far, Tommy,” Steven says. “But you and I know both know it would be better for you and for Ari to just walk away.”_

_You stare Steven in the eyes, “It would be better for everyone, wouldn’t it.”_

_Steven nods and rage explodes in your chest. You square your shoulders._

_“Ari?” you ask_

_“Yes, Tommy?” Ari whispers._

_“Walk **all** over him.”_

_Steven pulls a pokeball from his belt, “I was hoping you’d say that.”_

_And then the vision ends.*_

You aren’t just a geologist.

_ Excuse me? _

You’re the Champion here in Hoenn.

_ No, I’m not. _

_*You facepalm. Of course he isn’t the Champion. That isn’t how your visions work, dumbass.*_

Oh. Right. Sorry.

_ Was that you trying to prove your psychic ability? _

Kinda? I get visions of the future sometimes, except they’re visions of things that will never ever happen.

_*Steven’s smirk suddenly vanishes. He nods and quickly jots something down in your notebook. You don’t know why exactly, but you feel kind of guilty. Steven finishes scribbling in your notebook. He crouches down.*_

_ Here you go, Irwin. _

**I think I’m gonna barf**

He says thanks.

_*Steven nods once more and starts heading for the exit.*_

  
_*Steven tosses you a CD. Before he can explain the déjà vu feeling washes over you without triggering a vision.*_

Let me see… I'll give you this TM. It contains my favorite move, Steel Wing.

_ … Excuse me? _

You were about to say that.

_*Steven smirks.*_

_ … I was, but I thought your visions were only of things that could “never ever happen”? _

_*You shrug. Steven waves goodbye. One job down, one to go.*_

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Riddle me this: what do you call a dancer that just might also be a serial killer?


	12. Versus Brawly

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It smells like armpits in here, really

  
**Tommy, what are we doing here?**

... I’m considering challenging the gym

**Are you serious right now? Tommy, we don’t even have to anymore now that we’ve got Mr. Briney giving us a ride to Slateport City _for free_.**

Well, yeah, but…

_*The thing is you have this feeling that you’re supposed to challenge the gym. That it’s the only way to move things forward, even more so than getting to Slateport City. *_

**Are you going to go on autopilot and try to do it anyway if I have Ellen Jr drag you back to the ship?**

**You can’t make me do anything.**

**Correction: will you go on autopilot if _I_ drag you back to the ship?**

What? No! Just… I’ve got a feeling.

**A feeling?**

I’m psychic. Shouldn’t we just trust when I get feelings?

**Fine, but this had better not be a waste of my time.**

_*Ellen Jr. kicks the door open and drags Irwin in. You laugh, hoping that you’re reading this “feeling” correctly. Inside you have to struggle to see just like in Granite Cave. *_

You have GOT to be fucking kidding me.

**Young man, language!**

HOLY FUCKING SHIT!

**Really?**

YOU SURPRISED ME! IT IS REALLY FUCKING DARK IN HERE AND I AM A SMALL CHILD.

**Look, I know it’s dark in here now…**

  
Hey guys you know what that means?

**Montage sequence?**

**Montage sequence!**

**What does what mean?**

_*You turn on the Pokénav satellite radio to the 80s Workout Channel. Familiar synth pop fills the dark gym. Once more, like in Granite Cave, you navigate the gym with ease as if you’ve got a map—no. Not as if you’ve got a map in your mind. It’s as if you’ve walked this path five hundred times. Or more._

_In each battle you try to figure out what kind what type of gym this is. Despite how after each win more and more lights come on you still can’t see any definitive features. In all actuality the gym looks kinda sorta like a man-cave type basement with boxes, TVs, and scattered workout equipment here and there._

_It also smells like feet, but that’s beside the point._

_Of course the battles don’t help you much either. None of the trainers have any Pokémon that even remotely fit a theme._

_You turn a corner and end up facing what looks like a boxing ring. In that boxing ring is a man with blue hair jumping rope. Brawly. You know this because the same feeling that guided you here is telling you so. *_

Uh… hi there.

**Hmm? Yo, man come on up!**

Up?

_*Brawly crouches down to pull the ropes up. You look at Irwin who looks at Ellen Jr. who looks at you. God this is going to be a weird battle. Ellen Jr. gives you a boost which helps you slide under the ropes and into the ring. *_

  
**Welcome to the Dewford Town gym, brah.**

Uh hi. What kind of gym is this?

**Dude, you didn’t come all this way without figuring it out?**

No, _dude_. None of your gym trainers had any similar Pokémon.

**Really? I’ll have to talk to them about cheating like that.**

Huh?

**Well, this here’s a fighting gym and most Pokémon can learn fighting moves. I don’t really ask any of the trainers to specialize like me, but I do tell them to use their fighters against challengers.**

Really? Wow. And here I was scared this was going to be Roxanne’s gym all over again.

**What’d Roxy do?**

_*Irwin raises his eyebrows (the spot where they'd be if he actually had them?) in a lascivious manner*_

**Roxy?**

She, uh, used a Bagon, Jigglypuff, and Ponyta.

_*Brawly whistles. *_

**I wonder where she even got those. But I guess that doesn’t matter right now, right?**

_*Brawly slides his hands out of his boxing gloves and reaches for a pokeball on his belt. *_

   
**Go, Sandshrew!**

Okay, what the fuck. Sandshrew is not a fighting type.

**Huh?**

You know what? Fuck it! Irwin, would you mind?

**It’d be my pleasure!**

_*You immediately have Irwin use water gun, but Brawly has his Sandshrew curl into a ball. This is a mistake. Despite being protected by curling up the water is still weakening Sandshrew’s hide. Irwin starts making his way closer to Sandshrew while not letting up his attack. The added force created by Irwin closing the distance has to be weakening even more. Once he’s close enough you realize that Brawly hasn’t given any orders. He’s just watching you. Instead of letting yourself feel too unsettled you have Irwin change up his attack. *_

Irwin, scratch!

  
_*Brawly calls back his Sandshrew and starts juggling his pokeballs.*_

**Nice, brah.**

Uh, thanks?

**So what brings you to my gym today?**

**Because Tommy had a “feeling”**

Shut up, Irwin.

**“Shut up, Irwin” is a weird reason, but okay.**

No, I… ugh. I’m starting to think I just need to hand people a sign that says “If I say ‘shut up Irwin’ it’s because my Croconaw has a smart mouth.”

**It’s because I’m a lab Pokémon, mate.**

Oh my god. Shut up, Irwin.

_*As you two bicker Brawly leans against the ropes laughing. *_

**Dude, no need to, uh, chastise the little dude. But really. What brings you to my gym?**

_*You have literally no intention of telling Brawly a psychic feeling told you to come in and challenge the gym, so you choose instead to deflect. *_

Inertia, mostly. What brings anybody to your gym?

**Bragging rights. Not many trainers in Hoenn do the gym challenge.**

Really?

**Really. Of those few only an even smaller few want to go to the Ever Grande Festival**

The what?

**The Elite Four challenge, mate.**

Oh, well I don’t wanna do that.

**What do you wanna do?**

Well, I want… I want to go home. In Johto. Once I get to Slateport City I’m going to catch a boat back to Olivine City.

_*Brawly nods*_

**Well now I’m really confused why you’re here**

  
**Let’s continue.**

And of course you have a Cleffa instead of an actual fighting type.

**Look, dude, you aren’t making much sense.**

Irwin, just take down the Cleffa, okay?

_*Irwin immediately leaps back into the fray to bite the Cleffa. She takes a step to the right and… vanishes. She isn’t gone for long though. The Cleffa appears again at Irwin’s left, with a tiny glowing fist. Before you can tell him to dodge, or bite, or anything she sucker punches him in the jaw. Irwin goes flying. When Irwin gets up you can see that it didn’t do much damage, but with speed like that it doesn’t really have to? She only has to keep moving at that speed and throwing occasional sucker punches and eventually it’ll knock Irwin out._

_The Cleffa vanishes again and this time you’re ready. Kinda. When she reappears behind Irwin you tell him to swing his tail around in a wide arc. The Cleffa is about to vanish when she’s caught by the arc and falls over. You have Irwin try to bite her again and this time it works. But just before Irwin can fully bite down the Cleffa begins to sing*_

Irwin, cover your ears!

**Wha earsszs?**

  
**So what are you going to do, Tommy? I hope you brought along an awakening.**

What? No. How was I supposed to know I’d need one?

**Tsk, tsk, dude. A good trainer is always prepared.**

Aren’t those bulba-scouts?

_*shrugging*_ **It can be both.**

Fine.

_*You call Irwin back to his pokeball and send out Ellen Jr.*_

**So how do we wanna handle this?**

I dunno. Is she faster than you?

_*Ellen Jr. does her flash step thing and the Cleffa does the same. They spend five minutes in that partially invisible whooshing in circles state until Brawly starts tsk-ing at you again. Then the Cleffa reappears on his shoulder. Ellen Jr. is at your side.*_

**Are our Pokémon done playing freeze tag or…?**

Ellen Jr.?

**She’s as fast as me, but she’s got a tell.**

_*You think back to her second battle with Uno.*_

So do you.

**Yeah, but I can afford to get hit a few times. She can’t.**

Well, game on then.

_*You tell Ellen Jr. to use slash when she gets close enough, but suddenly she and Ellen Jr are standing frozen in the center of the battle field. The Cleffa is waving her fingers back and forth. Shit. Metronome. The Cleffa’s eyes burn red and you have an idea what attack the random forces of chaos have chosen. It paralyzes Ellen Jr.*_

**Cleffa, finish her.**

_*The next few things happen quickly*_

  
_*Just as Cleffa’s kiss lands Ellen Jr. slashes at her…*_

  
_*… which activates Cleffa’s ability. *_

Wait a second… I thought Cute Charm didn’t work in a gay way?

**Dude, I’m pretty sure it isn’t gay if—**

_*Ellen Jr. falls to her knees with a beatific grin on her face. Considering that it is Ellen Jr. with that dopey grin you feel kinda unsettled. Seriously, this Pokémon journey has you unsettled way too much. Well, at least it can’t get any worse…*_

_*singsong*_ **Omigod you are so freaking cute!!!**

_*Okay. It’s worse now. Despite this, you pull out your PokéNav to take a video of this so Irwin can enjoy/be frightened by this scene later. *_

**So that’s both of your Pokémon unable to battle, Tommy. What are you going to do now?**

Why do you keep asking me that?

_*Brawly shrugs. What are you going to do? Ellen Jr has three status afflictions and they all make fighting next to impossible. And, like, the Cleffa is almost knocked out at this point._

_Brawly was right. You are so unprepared for being a trainer. Even though that isn’t exactly what you wanted from your journey you know you still have a responsibility to the Pokémon on your team. Uno dying should have taught you that._

_Well._

_You’re just going to have to shape up then, aren’t you? If you want to win this battle you’ll have to do it creatively. The Cleffa is fast, but maybe one more hit and you’ve won. But… Ellen Jr. is afflicted by confusion and paralysis and attraction …_

_Wait*_

Who loves this Cleffa?

_*Ellen Jr. stands up*_

**Ellen Jr. loves this Cleffa.**

Is it true?

**Mmmhmm. I do**

_*she takes a wobbly step forward*_

**I do.**

_*She takes another. Ellen Jr. looms affectionately over Cleffa who just stands there, confused *_

**I doooooooo**

_*Ellen Jr. picks up the Cleffa to give her a hug. This doesn’t work, however, because of Ellen Jr.’s claws and her confusion. She clamps down on Cleffa a bit too tightly and she faints. Brawly recalls Cleffa to her pokeball and the Cute charm suddenly breaks. *_

**What was that?**

I’ll tell you later, just get ready for one more—

  
Wait, what?

**The Knuckle badge. It’s totally yours, brah.**

**He knows… I haven’t beaten his… last Pokémon yet… right?**

Uh…?

**Oh! You’re wondering why I’m giving you the badge even though you haven’t beaten me!**

Well, yeah.

_*Brawly puts his boxing gloves back on and tightens the laces with his teeth.*_

p>  
**Think of it like this: gyms don’t just exist for battles. They’re all about learning. The way you took out my Sandshrew and Cleffa proved to me that you got it.**

Got what?

**C’mere.**

_*Brawly releases his third Pokémon, a Granbull, and has it bring a robotic training dummy into the ring. He boots it up and starts sparring with it. Blocking its blows before it can throw them. As the dummy begins to move faster and faster Brawly speaks.*_

**I’ve had this dummy for ten years. It does the exact same thing every time I turn it on so I never really have to think about how to block or anything. My body just remembers what to do and does it whether I’m focused on the task or not, which right now I’m not. We in the biz call this muscle memory.**

**Does he have a point?**

Shh!

**Most challengers who come in this gym have developed a type of muscle memory in their heads when it comes to gym battles. They spam their strongest attacks over and over until they finally hit. Sometimes this works, sometimes it doesn’t. Regardless of that though, If the trainer does that and has goals of going to the Ever Grande Festival I usually don’t give them the badge.**

Why not?

*Brawly turns to face you, using one hand to block the training dummy’s hits. *

**Roxy and me are the only gym leaders that one can get away with spamming attacks. To beat the other gym leaders you need to be creative in battle. The way your Pokémon—especially Ellen Jr.— battled today against my Cleffa proves to me that you are.**

But I told you I don’t want to keep challenging gyms. I’m going back to Johto.

_*Brawly shrugs. He places his free hand on your shoulder. You realize in this moment how much bigger Brawly is than you. He has to be somewhere around six foot four inches and two hundred pounds._

_During the battle with all his surfer dude talk you didn’t notice, but right now there’s something sinister about his posture drawing your attention to his size. *_

**You could do that, but I don’t think you will.**

Excuse me?

**Muscle memory is a powerful thing, Tommy. The way you battle tells me that you’ve done this a million times already. Why walk away?**

_*Roxanne’s words echo in your mind._

_“But remember you can just walk away at any time. You can just walk away. Just remember. That is all I ask of you”_

_And then you think about the vision you had of Steven telling you the same thing, “But you and I know both know it would be better for you and for Ari to just walk away.”_

_And there’s a saying your grandfather muttered at the TV while you watched old Handsome Looker movies.  He said when looking at clues you need find patterns and that a clue appearing once is happenstance, twice is coincidence, and three times is the pattern._

_You aren’t trying to solve a mystery, but your grandfather’s wisdom feels too appropriate right now.*_

Thank you for the badge. I’ll think about it.

_*You return Ellen Jr. to her pokeball and start to leave.*_

**Tell Wattson I say hey!**

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Riddle me this: when do you trust your muscle memory over your mind?


	13. Truth or (Maybe?) Dare

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A short bonus chapter wherein we learn some backstory and Tommy loses his pants

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Only a conversation chapter this time because I'm having trouble typing despite having had my stitches taken out a few days ago.

_*One of the first lessons you learned in your swarm after mastering your speed was that sometimes you have to make yourself known when entering a new space. This is something you routinely forget. You loom in spaces for minutes only for Tommy or Irwin to do that little awkward half jump when they realize you’re there._

_Right now is a bit different. You were on the deck with Mr. Briney and Peeko. Well, not exactly “with them” because that implies you were socializing. You were not. The three of you were just all occupying the same space. Now you’re heading down below to actually socialize with your… friends? Team? You’ll figure out what exactly to call them someday. You can hear Tommy snickering from the stairs. *_

No, no, no. You haven’t even gotten to the best part!

 __*wheezing* **There’s something even better than this?**

Better than what?

_*They do the awkward half-jump. Tommy scrambles to hide that he’s holding his PokéNav*_

__NOTH **ING!**

 You sure about that? 

**__ 100%, mate. **

 But you were clearly laughing and looking at the PokeNav

No we weren’t.

_*You take a step and you’re behind them. Taking the PokéNav out of Tommy’s hand is pretty easy. At this speed you’re careful to be gentle with Tommy’s hand since you don’t want him getting any broken fingers and being confused or scared. You take another step and you’re back in your original spot._

_On the screen is a video looping. You’re in it. At least a version of you is. She falls to her knees and declares her love for a tiny pink Pokémon. She waddles. She speaks in a gooey lovesick voice. *_

 What is this? 

**_ _ Um. Don’t get mad, but…**

I recorded youwhileyouwere underthecutecharm soIrwincouldseeit pleasedon’thurtme

_*You don’t want to hurt Tommy._

_Okay, you **do**. But you also don’t? It’s complicated. Perhaps this is because instead of feeling mostly mad you’re feeling mostly embarrassed. Uno told you sticking with Tommy would be a chance to start over and you believed him. Stupid. The universe will never let you be, will it? You’re always going to be somebody’s laughingstock. *_

It’s fine. 

_*You toss the PokéNav back over your shoulder. *_

Ellen Jr, wait. I’m sorry.

_*Tommy elbows Irwin who mumbles an apology too. *_

 I said it was fine.

Look, I may be the shittiest psychic on the planet—

**__ I still say Miss Cleo would beg to differ**

—but I can tell you’re upset.

 **** So?

So, if I’m going to be a good trainer I don’t wanna make you feel like… like we’re making fun of you.

 **** Weren’t you? I don’t know human children very well, but my kind…

_* "… can be pretty sophomoric when it comes to matters of gender and sexuality, which is what it seems like you’re being” is something you wish you could say. Words like those aren’t your forte, so you struggle to find some that match that meaning in your immediate vocabulary. *_

You’re feeling embarrassed right? Well, you don’t have to be. It’s okay to be gay.

What.

_*Irwin facepalms*_

**_ _ Look, what Tommy means (awkward straight person preamble notwithstanding) is that we’re sorry and that we’ll do our best not to— **

**** Please stop talking. You’re making me feel worse.

_*Tommy and Irwin look at each other and then at you. Their concern burns holes into your exoskeleton. It almost feels as if their eyes are walking and slithering across your body, and that gives you shudder. *_

**__ Is this for backstory reasons? I feel like this is a backstory thing.**

_*It is. *_

 It’s not. Look, I’m embarrassed and there’s nothing you two can do to change that. So. I’m going back on deck. Later.

_*You start to head up the stairs. Fresh start or no, maybe you’re still not cut out for being with other people yet. Behind you Tommy starts frantically flapping his hands. *_

Irwin, truth or dare?

**_ _ What?**

Truth or dare.

**_ _ I fail to see what that has to do wit—**

Just pick one!

**_ _ Fine, dare.**

Okay… I, uh, dare you to… flirt with that barrel of fish.

**_ _ … Really?**

_*Somewhere in all this you stopped and sat on the stairs to watch tommy and Irwin’s strange little back and forth. The little bastard looks at Tommy and then at you. You just shrug, He scrunches up his face as if he were going to say something and instead exhales loudly. Irwin waddles over to the barrel in question and wraps an arm pathetically around it. *_

**_ _ Hey, uh, you come here often?**

_*As he continues to ask the barrel questions it cannot answer; you motion for Tommy to come to you. *_

… What is this?

Truth or dare! A game where friends embarrass each other to get closer.

 _*This gives you pause. Like a lot of things Tommy says and does you don’t really get it. Well, you get the_ intention _here, but you don’t get the_ method. _*_

If you’re trying to—

_*Tommy puts a finger to your lips (how on earth did he find them?) and winks*_

Ellen Jr, seriously. Just go with it. Have some fun. Bond with us.

_*He points to Irwin who is now making out with the barrel. You laugh in spite of yourself. *_

Fine. So how do I play?

Just watch. Irwin, you can stop. Ask me now.

_*Irwin gives the barrel one last wet peck. *_

**_ _ Tommy, truth or dare?**

_*Tommy pretends to think it over, rubbing his chin and loudly hmm-ing. *_

Truth!

 ** __Great!** _*Irwin grins. *_ **Are you a bed wetter, Tommy?**

Omigod, Irwin!

**_ _ You hafta answer~**

Well… you see, uh—

**_ _ Is that a yes?**

NOT ANYMORE! I, uh, swear.

_*The two of them laugh and you laugh too. This game is kind of strange to you. Humiliating others when they have an equal chance to turn the tables back on you doesn’t really make much sense. But then again, laughing at how ridiculous the game is in and of itself along with the abovementioned acts of humiliation does cut the tension like a knife. *_

So… it’s my turn?

****__Yup. 

**** Who do I ask?

**_ _ Me, ideally, so this can go in a circle.**

I see… Tommy, truth or dare.

What? But the circle!

_*You shrug. *_

Since I just picked truth, why not dare?

Uh… I dare you to give Irwin your pants.

**_ _ Ooh! I can wear them like a hat!**

Really?

**_ _ Yeah, mate. **

_*Tommy starts undoing his belt. *_

Well, it’s my turn now. Irwin, truth or dare.

**_ _ Truth. **

What is your deal with hats?

 __*Snickering * **My mum used to tell me a hunter would skin my hide and make me one someday if I wasn’t careful. So, iono, it’s kinda an extension of always thinking, “I could be one of these one day?” and wondering how much leather anyone could really make out of me since I’m so small.**

**** …

…

**_ _ What?**

That was pretty dark.

**_ _ Nuh-uh! I’m clearly not a hat right now, right?**

But that bit about a hunter—

**_ _ It’s whatever. There’ve always been hunters all over my swamp. And, like, they’re really easy to spot since they wear shirts with big red Rs on them. **

_*Tommy goes pale. A look crosses his face. It’s as if he’s putting two and two together for the first time. You don’t think Irwin notices this realization. For all his “I’m a lab Pokémon, so of course I’m smart” swagger his ability to read social cues is pretty arbitrary. *_

Right…

**_ _ Wellllllllll… now it’s my turn. Ellen Jr, you know the question.**

**** Um… Truth?

**_ _ Who’s Ellen Sr.?**

_*Tommy elbows Irwin and whispers the word “backstory.” On the one claw you kinda don’t want to do any backstory stuff with these two jokers. That would literally defeat the purpose of why you even bothered to join this team anyway. Uno promised you that this team would be a fresh start and—_

_One thing you really want to know is how long Uno’s shadow is going to hang over your heads? How often are you or Tommy or Irwin going to second guess yourselves because you think of him? How often are you in particular going to hold onto his promise?_

_… But that’s what you’re going to do, isn’t it? Because for all their awkwardness and their… feelings being with these two is so much better than being back with your swarm. *_

My… grandmother. 

**_ _ See, Tommy? She’s cool with backstory questions.**

Shut up, Irwin.

It’s fine. I think…

You think?

_*Tommy pauses as if he expects you to say more, but you don’t. Ellen was the only good thing about your swarm. And it should be easy for you to say that but… *_

 I’m not really used to talking about myself.

Well, uh, it’s your turn now

Right… Tommy, truth or dare?

Dare.

**_ _ No more truth, fearless leader?**

_*Tommy shrugs. You guess he’s really committed to embarrassing himself to make you feel better? Well you might as well give him what he wants. *_

**** I dare you… to pick truth

**_ _ OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!**

I hate you both. Fine, so what do you wanna know?

_*You wanna know why he went pale when Irwin talked about the hunters. *_

… What’s a bed wetter?

_*But you’re pretty sure whatever it is would probably wreck Irwin. He’s a weird little know-it-all, but you don’t think he deserves that. Not right now, at least. *_

**_ _ Oh my god this is the best thing ever.**

Also, what’s "god"?

**_ _ … what?**

You two say that word a lot, but I don’t really get what it means.

_*One thing you've been really confused about while traveling is how since Tommy is a psychic phrases that don't exist in either of your languages don't translate literally. Like, a psychic translator_ should _be able to give the gist of what weird words mean._

_But then again Tommy is a shitty psychic...*_

Oh go—crap.

**_ _ Do you wanna explain religion to her or should I?**

It’s my question, so… uh, well in Johto and Kanto people aren’t all that big on Arceus created everything so they just sub in a nameless and formless but still ostensibly human God as their deity instead.

**_ _ But what we’re doing is taking the lord’s “name” in vain and just using it as an exclamation. **

Oh, yeah. That too.

**_ _ Wow. This is a weird game of truth or dare. **

You still haven’t told me what a bed wetter is.

And of course you remembered that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Riddle me this: have you figured it out yet?


	14. Delivery

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Someone once said you gotta risk it for the biscuit, but what do they know?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> warning for brief implied suicidal ideation

  
**Ah, so it’s that time already?**

Yup, my mission is almost over.

**Come aboard and we’ll shove off!**

* * *

* * *

_*After a rollicking game of Truth or Dare wherein you lost your pants to Irwin (he’s wearing them as a hat) Mr. Briney comes below deck to talk to you. *_

**Lad, your pants.**

Uh… I can explain.

**I think I’d rather you didn’t.**

Right. So. What’s up?

**Well, I’ve got some bad news about Slateport City.**

**Great. **

What’s wrong?

**It’d probably be better if I showed you.**

_*The three of you follow Mr. Briney up to the main deck. He leans over the bow and points out to the sea in the direction of the marina. At first you don’t get it, but then you see how the waters are rushing. *_

**That’s the only way into the marina, and those waters are too strong for a boat like this.**

So how do we land?

**We don’t. The only other way for me to get you even close to the city is through the beach and… I can’t drop anchor there. My boat would get stuck.**

This is just great. Now what do we do?

**Well, I know I can just swim my way there from here. I mean, it’s gotta be like five kilometers at most.**

Are you strong enough to carry me too?

**No…**

**Wait, I think I’ve got an idea.**

Wha—

_*You don’t get to finish that thought. An arm wraps itself around your torso. The last thing you see on Mr. Briney’s boat is Peeko’s eyes widening in shock. And then you’re being yanked through the air. *_

**Good luck, Tommy!**

WHAT THE FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU

**WHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE**

_*Ellen Jr. lands with a crash in a shallower part of the ocean. The waters there are warm like a bath. It fills your lungs, but not exactly._

_As you float you see soap suds floating above your head and the ocean suddenly becomes a tub. This is a vision. In this vision you are drowning in a bathtub. You just want this to end. All of it._

_The you in the vision doesn’t struggle._

_“Tommy, no!” Something pulls you up. “This isn’t what Ari would’ve wanted!”_

_And then the vision ends. You’re back in reality with Ellen Jr. carrying you and Irwin back to shore. *_

**That was totally wicked! Can we do it again? Please? Please? Please?**

NO! Ellen Jr. could you put me down, please?

_*She drops you in the sand. *_

**You didn’t complain last time I did that.**

I was only semi-conscious.

**Whatever.**

_*The view from the sand dune is kinda relaxing. You see Mr. Briney’s boat in the distance. There are Wingull squawks echoing in the distance. *_

Hey guys, you wanna just… I dunno? Take a break?

**What?**

Let’s just hang out on the beach an—

_*A pokéball on your belt shakes and opens*_

  
**Yes. **

HOLY SHIT

**Who… is that?**

**Eliza. **

I… oh crap. I can’t believe I forgot about Eliza!

_*Eliza shrugs. You figure she might have wanted you to forget her. The last time you remember seeing her was after your ill-advised training session where she just ended up napping the whole time. She curls up in your lap and starts looking around. *_

**Uno?**

Uh…

_*The three of you do “nose goes” a few times while Eliza looks on, confused. Because of Ellen Jr. speed, Irwin’s intensity, and your sheer desire to not do it, the results come out as a tie each time. *_

**This isn’t working.**

**I’m new so I don’t have to tell her.**

_*Because you’re the trainer you explain what happened to Uno. As you tell the story you realize that it’s barely been a day since it happened. *_

**Angry.**

**Yeah, me too actually.**

Huh?

**Tommy, you shut down after it happened. I-I’m not mad at you, just… I don’t want to see May ever again.**

_*The four of you sit in silence on the beach for a while until a man in a sailor suit comes up to you. *_

  
Uh… that’s nice to know?

_*The sailor just stands there, looking at you expectantly. *_

Is there something I can for you?

**You’re a trainer, right?**

  
**I think this guy wants a battle.**

Dude, my team and I are kinda having an emotional moment. So if you wouldn’t mind…

**Our eyes met, kid. You know what that means.**

And I’m telling you to fuck off.

_*Huey sends out a Nidoran and you laugh. The universe clearly really fucking hates you right now. Of all the Pokémon to appear right here and now of course it would be a Nidoran. At your side you hear growling. It’s Eliza._

_She leaps into the fray to attack the Nidoran. This Nidoran probably knows double kick too which would give her a type advantage. *_

  
Ellen Jr, get in there.

**Steel wing?**

Yes, please

_*Ellen Jr’s wings glow and she vanishes. When she reappears she’s half a foot away from Huey’s face and the Nidoran is sailing through the air, ostensibly knocked out. *_

Send out your next Pokémon, jerkass

**Excuse me?**

My team and I were having a moment. A mourning moment. You are a jerkass.

_*Huey guiltily looks down at the ground. He sends out a Gastly. From what you can remember of type matchups you figure Eliza would be 100% immune to everything, so you send her out. *_  
  
_*You have her bite at the Gastly since it is her only dark type move. After a twenty minute back and forth Huey finally just surrenders. *_

**So, uh. I’m sorry?**

**You should be.**

_*You glare at Ellen Jr. *_

It’s whatever.

**No. It-it’s not. Look kid, this beach isn’t the best place to be if you want to just sit and… mourn. I really don’t think there’s anywhere in Hoenn where a trainer can just sit without dealing with other trainers bothering them for battles.**

This is a weird and awkwardly long apology.

**It’s advice, kid. If you’re in mourning, you should probably go home or something.**

… I intend to do just that.

_*You flip Huey off and start walking for Slateport City. Before you get into the city Eliza returns herself to her pokéball. You really have to ask her how she keeps doing that. *_

  
So here we are.

**We’d might as well get on with the mission. **

**So where’s this Captain Stern guy?**

Probably here.

  
_*You walk into the building and you’re very sure that it is nothing like a shipyard. There are machines and computers everywhere. People in labcoats run back and forth holding beakers. Star and ocean charts are strewn all over the walls. You think a better descriptor of this place would be a marine biology lab, but nobody’s asking you._

_Deeper in the “shipyard” is a man at a desk. While he looks incredibly frazzled, he also looks like the only person not too busy to talk to you. *_

Excuse me? Hi. I’m looking for Capt. Stern.

  
That’s nice, but where is Capt. Stern?

_*The man far too appropriately named Dock doesn’t answer you and instead points at the briefcase you’ve been carrying*_

  
Yes. Yes, they are.

**Mr. Stone called and told me you’d be coming. You’re early**

I am?

**He said you were going to be here by Friday, and it’s Wednesday.**

_*You give Irwin and Ellen Jr. high fives. * Go us!_

**Well, Capt. Stern isn’t here.**

So I’ll just leave these with you then—

**No!**

What?

**You have to give it to him directly.**

Why?

_*Dock turns the briefcase and slides a panel to the left which reveals some kind of scanner device. *_

**The delivery won’t be read as having gone through until the Captain puts his thumb there. If the delivery doesn’t go through, then you won’t get your money.**

You have gotta be fucking kidding me.

**Not at all.**

So can you tell me where he is?

**Uh… well, the captain tends to wander around the city**

Forget it.

_*You put your hands to your temples and try to do what you did in the Granite Cave when you found Steven. You start walking as the world in front of you shifts and suddenly you see yourself following a Combusken. Ari. *_

**Tommy, where are we going?**

I’m just letting this vision guide me.

_*Irwin and Ellen Jr. look at each other. *_

**Vision? Tommy, I thought we’d established that your visions were of things that weren’t going to happen.**

Yeah, but…

_*The thing about this vision is that your sight in this moment is two-fold. You see both Irwin and Ellen Jr. looking skeptical at the same time you see the mysteriously familiar Combusken—Ari?—leading you. This vision—even more than the other ones you’ve had—feels like a memory than a forecast. This is why you feel like trusting the vision. You tell the others as much. *_

**Hmm, perhaps it’s time that we come up with a new theory.**

**Who says we even need one?**

**Huh?**

**I mean, in this vision Tommy said he was following a Combusken, right?**

Ari.

**Whatever. And no matter the semantics his visions at least give us a ballpark estimate of what to do, right?**

** Right... **

**Tommy’s clearly seeing _the_ future, it’s just not _our_ future. So of course he's still seeing stuff that won't happen. **

**Oh. Well… uh. But _why_? **

We can figure that out later. I think we’re here.

  
**A museum?**

Yup. The vision just ended.

_*You go in. Before you can enter the museum completely the ticket takers stop you and tell you to return your Pokémon back in their balls. Ellen Jr. immediately agrees, but Irwin instead drags you out of the building*_

**Tommy, gimme your backpack.**

What? Why?

**I’m going in there.**

… Irwin, I know it’s got hammerspace pockets, but wouldn’t your pokéball be easier?

_*Shrugging*_ **Maybe, but—**

You wanna look at the exhibits.

**I really wanna look at the exhibits.**

And how are you gonna do that without getting us caught?

**Just leave your bag unzipped a little**

Fine

_*You shrug out of your bag and watch Irwin try to stuff himself in it. Hammerspace pockets or not, it’s a tight fit. Once he’s in you take your backpack–which still weighs about the same somehow–and saunter into the museum in the least suspicious manner possible*_

**Vera: Hey, Marie. That kid sure is walking in a suspicious manner.**

**Marie: He sure is, Vera.**

**Vera: Should we stop him?**

**Marie: … Nah.**

  
Uh…

**What?**

Irwin, there are Team Aqua grunts here.

**Oi, lemme see!**

_*You angle yourself so the side of the backpack Irwin’s looking out of can get a good look at the exhibit and all the grunts everywhere*_

Okay, so we need to find Capt. Stern and get out of here quickly.

**Why? We beat that grunt last time.**

One grunt. I don’t see any other trainers in here or security, so if things pop off it would be us against all these guys.

**Oh. Yeah, that’d suck.**

_*The grunt you beat before doesn’t seem to be around, but you pull down your cap anyway. The last thing you want is any of these grunts thinking you look suspicious or something while you search for Capt. Stern. *_

**Aqua Grunt 1: Hey, that kid sure does look suspicious.**

**Aqua Grunt 2: Nah, he’s probably looking for the shark exhibit.**

**Aqua Grunt 1: Oh! Hey kid, maybe you should check upstairs!**

Gregrtgrf? I mean… thanks?

_*You flee upstairs where, oddly enough, there are no grunts. Just a man in a labcoat removing the glass from one of the undersea fossil displays. *_

  
Are there a lot of people looking for you today?

**Well, yeah. I got a call from a fellow marine biologist… but you clearly can’t be him.**

Oh, I’m not. I’m just here to deliver these:

_*You hold up the briefcase. Capt. Stern’s eyes get wide. He jumps for joy and shakes your hand like a frenetic cartoon character. *_

  
Expedition?

**Yes, the first deep sea submarine mission to the Seafloor Cavern!**

_*Irwin takes this chance to pop his head out of your bag. *_

**But I thought the Seafloor Cavern was a myth!**

**AHHHHHHH!**

Oh, sorry about him. He heard Seafloor Cavern and got excited, I guess.

**Really?**

He tho— I mean, I thought it was a myth?

**Well, that’s what our expedition seeks to find out. If it is the worse that happens is we get to study deepsea Pokémon up close and personal. If it isn’t, we’ll be one step closer to finding the legendary resting place of—**

_*Before Capt. Stern can finish his sentence, two Team Aqua grunts burst into the room. *_

  
**Aqua Grunt 1: I told you that kid looked suspicious!**

What do you want with them?

**Aqua Grunt 2:** _*holding up a pokéball*_ **Just hand ‘em over and nobody gets hurt.**

**Tommy, give them the briefcase.**

What? **What?**

**I don’t want you getting hurt. Just do what they say and—**

No.

**What? But you’re just a child!**

And I can’t let them have this case! I’ve come too far to give up now.

**Aqua Grunt 1 & 2: You’re gonna regret this**

_*The grunts send out their Pokémon—a Pidgey and a Gulpin—but in your mind’s eye you see them as a Zubat and Carvanha. They’re tiny. You laugh. *_

If you say so. Irwin?

_*He hops out of your bag. *_

** Let's get this shit! **

  
Would you mind showing these dumbasses what happens to people who keep us from our 60,000 pokedollars?

_*The battle is fast. You barely have to even give Irwin any orders. He just knows what you want him to do. Maybe you’re so in sync because of your fledgling psychic powers? *_

**Wait, is that why you’re battling them? So you can get paid?**

When you put it that way it makes me seem like a greedy jerk.

**Aqua Grunt 2: Don’t think this is over!**

I literally just beat you, so I’m pretty sure that this is over.

**Aqua Grunt 1: BOSS!**

_*Suddenly a smoke pellet explodes behind the grunts. A man in a skintight back suit steps out of the smoke. He’s a tall man with a swimmer’s build. On his head is a similar bandana to the grunts and on his neck is a pendant version of what has to be Team Aqua’s logo._

_As he strides forward, he strokes his beard while looking you up and down. You feel like you’ve met this man before. His name is on the tip of your tongue… *_

**Who are you?**

  
And you’re Archie

**Ah, so you’ve heard of me, laddie?**

Not exactly…

**Status report**

**Aqua Grunt 1: Sir! The boy defeated our Pokémon, leaving us unable to complete our mission**

_*Archie looks over you and Irwin once more. Then he grabs you by the collar and hoists you into the air. Irwin bites and scratches at Archie’s leg, but it’s as if it were made of some indestructible material. *_

  
Who the fuck is Team Magma?

**Either you’re a good liar, or you really don’t know.**

_*You reach for Ellen Jr’s pokéball. *_

I really don’t know. But what I do know is that if you don’t put me down my friend will make you.

**Which friend? This little Croconaw?**

**No, me.**

_*Ellen Jr. appears behind Archie holding her open claw around his throat. *_

That doesn’t count as a badass one liner if he can’t understand you, Ellen Jr.

**What?**

**Aqua Grunt 1 & 2: BOSS! THERE’S A SCIZOR!**

**Ah, I see. Well, you win this round kid.**

_*Archie puts you down. Before Ellen Jr. can step away though he throws a smoke pellet at your feet. Smoke fills your lungs. *_

**We’ll go for now, laddie, but you best believe if you cross Team Aqua’s path again you won’t be walking away with your life. **

_*After a few minutes the smoke clears. You hear buzzing and assume it’s at least partially because Ellen Jr. is blowing it away with her wings. A hand takes yours and pulls you up. *_

  
Yeah… what was that?

**That… was the other marine biologist I was supposed to be meeting today. He wanted to talk to me about a paper I’d published on the legendary Pokémon Kyogre.**

_*Sneering*_ **You wrote published a peer reviewed article on a myth?**

Uh, Irwin…

**I know, I know. “Shut up, Irwin.”**

**… Is there something wrong with your Croconaw?**

Uh, he’s just… a bit critical? I guess? About your essay on Kroger

**… Kyogre. And he’s not the only one to be. I put my academic credibility on the line publishing it, and apparently it drew criminals my way…**

_*Capt. Stern looks at his watch. *_

  
**Thank you so much for your help. If you ever need anything here in Slateport City, just stop by my lab.**

_*As he scampers off with the briefcase a peal of thunder shakes the museum. Just outside the window you see a torrential downpour. The sea practically looks like it is rising from its place to desperately speed up the water cycle._

_In the distance you see a bright red pillar of light. It is the only thing cutting through the storm. Around the red pillar of light intense sunlight appears and vanishes, each time the sunlight becomes stronger and engulfs more of the rain until the storm stops. Blinding sunlight and heat overwhelm you. In an instant the seas evaporate._

_And then you blink. Everything is normal again. Ellen Jr. and Irwin are at your sides and Eliza has let herself out of her pokéball at your feet. *_

**Vision?**

… Yeah.

**What’d you see this time?**

I… I’m not really sure.

_*You pull out your PokéNav and speed-dial Mr. Stone. He picks up after one ring. *_

Fuck you, pay me.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> riddle me this: what's a cool way to quit a job you never wanted in the first place?


	15. Keep Moving Forward (1/3)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Tommy starts to feel like that one guy in Greek Mythology. You know the one.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (Part one of the Keep Moving Forward Arc)

  
Wow. We’re finally here.

**It’s been a long journey, mate.**

So what’re we gonna hit up first when we get to Johto?

**Ecruteak City.**

Not your marshes outside Azalea Town?

**Well—**

**Yeah, this isn’t gonna work.**

**What?**

Ellen Jr, I know you’re all blunt and whatever, but I thought you said you were a big softie.

**I am. Look.**

_*She points at the sign. *_

  
**What’s that supposed to mean? This is a harbor, and the likelihood of the Tidal being the one we need is—**

**But considering our collective luck?**

_*You pause. Ellen Jr. shrugs. Irwin facepalms. *_

No. no, no, no, no, no!

**Tommy, wait!**

_*And you’re running into the harbor. Pushing past people. Their faces blur as you search for signs pointing to where the boat you need should be. Once you find them you hop the turnstile and keep on running. Security guard whistles echo around you. In the distance you can hear Irwin calling you. Finally, you get to the dock. Nothing is there except for a woman in a sailor uniform. *_

Ma’am, please tell me—

  
Why not?

**The Tidal—along with most of our other ships—have been out of commission thanks to the crazy waters out on Route 131**

  
_*This is when everyone—the security guards and Ellen Jr.—catch up with you. After catching their breath, the guards lecture you about the importance of buying a ticket and how they won’t give you a ticket since you’re so young. The thing is, you don’t really pay attention to them because this is bullshit. Not their admonitions, those are legitimate. Once is happenstance, twice a coincidence, and three times is a pattern. Grandpa would be proud of you for even considering this, but… He was a mystery novel writer and this is real life._

_Ellen Jr. leads you away from the guards when they finish talking and out to Irwin who is hiding in a trashcan. *_

… Do I even want to know?

**Like, five trainers tried to catch me!**

Oh! My bad, Irwin.

**Yes, your bad. So what’s the new plan, Stan?**

**… His name is Tommy.**

**It’s a figure of speech.**

**Oh. Right. **

_*You pull up the town map function on your PokéNav. Unlike the ones in the Pokémon Centers the map is interactive enough that by selecting specific cities you can get information on what kind of landmarks are there. You expect to find an airport or something, but no. How a region like Hoenn can function with only boats and cars is something you’ll never understand._

_The only other port is in Lilycove City. *_

I guess we’re going to Lilycove City.

**That’s pretty far, Tommy.**

_*It is. And to make matters worse the map (which could be wrong again) doesn’t really give you any shortcuts. You sit down on the ground. *_

Ugh. What are we going to do?

**We could wait.**

What?

**We could wait. The bad waters can’t last forever, and if we wait long enough the security guards probably won’t follow you around the harbor.**

**Hmmm… She has a point. Besides with all the money we just made we could probably afford to stay in the best hotel in town for a month.**

True, but…

**But?**

_*Something about stopping makes you feel uneasy. *_

I just think… we need to keep moving.

**Is this another psychic feeling?**

Kinda. It’s like… the same feeling that told me we had to fight Brawly.

_*Irwin plops down on the ground next to you. *_

**Tommy, I’m in this for as long as you’ll have me.**

**And as much as I’d prefer we stay put… this is the farthest I’ve ever gone from home. Maybe I should see more of Hoenn before we leave it forever.**

So it’s settled? We’re gonna keep moving forward?

**Sure, but maybe we can leave tomorrow? I’m feeling kinda beat.**

_*You think back to your battle with Brawly. If you’re going to keep journeying through Hoenn, then you’re going to run into stronger trainers. Trainers who fight with status afflictions. Back in trainer school you learned all about what could happen if a Pokémon is struck by something like burn, paralysis, or poison and doesn’t get cured quickly—permanent affliction or even death._

_The last thing you want is another dead teammate, so you wander over to the Slateport Open Market. *_

  
**Psst, Tommy.**

What?

**Spot me 100 pokedollars.**

Why?

**I could buy a hat here!**

Seriously?

**I too… would like some money.**

What are you gonna do with it?

_*Ellen Jr. stares into your eyes. *_

**I want to make more.**

Uhhhhh…

_*You give Irwin and Ellen Jr 200 pokedollars each since you are kinda rolling in it. It’s only after they both leave that you realize there’s a very small chance they’ll be able to do anything with that money since none of the shopkeepers will be able to understand them. *_

**Boat?**

Holy crap Eliza, where’d you come from?

**… There.**

Right. Uh, you kinda missed it. We can’t take the boat so we’re going to Lillycove City and catching one from there.

**_Why?_ **

Um… the ship is being repaired.

**Oh.**

_*Eliza sulks next to a crate of oranges. You crouch down next to her. *_

I guess you’re mad like me about the boat.

**Ambivalent.**

I don’t follow…?

_*Eliza doesn’t respond. You sigh. This is the problem of talking to someone mostly nonverbal. Not that conversation can stop, but that to keep it moving forward you need to pick up on so many cues that you wouldn’t normally be looking for. Irwin would probably be better at this. Well, at least a little. *_

You’re upset, but not about the boat… right?

**Kinda.**

Okay, does it have to do with… waiting?

**No…**

_*Eliza leans against your knee. She stretches. *_

**Excluded.**

Excluded?

**Yes.**

You’re mad because you feel excluded?

**Yes.**

_*When you think about it there’s a lot Eliza has missed by virtue of just chilling in her pokéball: Regirock, Uno, and everything on Dewford. And the thing is, you’re kind of surprised by her feeling excluded? When she first joined the team Eliza made no bones about not wanting to do anything with the others._

_But then again, she was always watching…_

_This is when it clicks. Eliza is mostly nonverbal, goes in and out of her pokéball whenever she feels like it, and doesn’t always participate in conversation. She’s shy. But the thing is you also know Eliza has a lot of pride also. She’s almost haughty in the way she carries herself which is why her letting you know about this vulnerability feels so important._

_Perhaps her grief for Uno isn’t like yours, Irwin’s, or Ellen Jr’s which come from friendship and personal respect. Maybe Eliza grieves for a friendship that never got the chance to happen. *_

You don’t want to be excluded anymore, right?

**Right.**

Well, just hang out with us when you can and I think it’ll work out.

**Really?**

And if not, you can just start riding in my backpack like Irwin did at the museum

**???**

We’ll cross that bridge when we get to it. Until then, let’s go get some shopping done.

_*The Slateport Open Market has so many different options for medicines. There’s roots and berries from Kanto, Poffins from Sinnoh, and even Moo-Moo milk from Johto. What really amazes you in all this is how cheap everything is. Back in Olivine City Moo-Moo milk cost upwards of 1000 pokedollars, here the price is halved. The same can be said for stuff you’ve bought in other towns and cities on your journey. Other than the gym leader position you’re pretty sure this is why your parents decided to move to Hoenn. After Unova and Kalos, Johto is one of the most expensive regions to live in. *_

**Revival herbs! 30% off revival herbs! Hey, kid!**

Huh? Me?

**Yeah, you. You’re a trainer, right?**

Yeah…

**And I can see you’re stocking up on healing item for your journey.**

Have you just been watching me wander around here all afternoon?

**Stalker.**

**That’s irrelevant. I’ve got something you need.**

Well, actually I’m done shopping so—

**One thing every trainer needs are some revival herbs!**

… What?

**Revival herbs**

You said that already.

**I did?**

You did. What do revival herbs even do?

**Oh, they wake up fainted Pokémon!**

_*And something clicks in your head. The world around you fades away. No longer do you see a strange man trying to get you to buy strange herbs. Now you’re on your knees with Ari in your arms. He’s fainted and you’re trying to feed him a revival herb. But he’s not breathing. So you feed him another. And another._

_“why don’t these work?” you cry. “why don’t these work? Why don’t the—*_

—se work?

**Tommy, stop! **

Huh?

**What the hell is wrong with you, kid?**

_*You blink twice to right your vision and the scene before you doesn’t make much sense. The stall where the revival herb man was, is overturned. His product is all over the ground. You have a handful of the herbs in your left hand which is in the air as if you had been… throwing them at him. Ellen Jr. has you by your wrist and Irwin’s got your right leg. *_

Did I do this?

**You don’t remember destroying this guy’s stuff?**

N-no, I was having a vision and…

**A vision?**

I-I’m so sorry. I can pay for this.

_*You shove 12,000 pokedollars into his hands. The man is getting up now, and he doesn’t look angry anymore. Instead you see something akin to concern. *_

**Look, kid. I kinda feel bad taking your money.**

What? Why?

**I mean, I’m gonna keep it. You did ruin a whole day’s business for me. But…**

But what?

**But, I know PTSD when I see it. Kid, are you getting help?**

… I don’t have PTSD.

_*The man groans. *_

**PTSD or not, something triggered you into blacking out and going on a violent rampage. I’m going to ask this one more time: are you getting help?**

I… uh…

_*You turn and run. You aren’t completely sure why, but in the moment it’s the only thing that makes sense to you. Fight or flight gone into overdrive, probably. By the time you’re out of the open market Ellen Jr, Irwin, and Eliza are crowded around you. *_

**Tommy, are you okay?**

I… I think I want to lay down.

**I think I saw a hotel a little while away.**

Great, let’s get a room.

_*Ellen Jr. leads the way to a fancy hotel by the contest hall. A single room for a single night is pretty expensive, but not enough to dent your wallet. But you don’t really care at this point. All you want to do is crawl into a bed and sleep away everything._

_So you do*_

***

_*There’s a weight on your chest. Not enough to make breathing difficult, but it does wake you from the soundest sleep in the fluffiest bed you’ve ever slept in. Slowly you blink your eyes open your eyes and see Eliza sitting on you. *_

**Morning.**

Is this a new thing?

**Yes.**

So you don’t keep missing out on stuff?

**Yes.**

_*You’re kind of glad. Despite her taciturn nature, Eliza is a calming presence. She is a cut purring on your chest and is quite fuzzy. And soft. God, cats are awesome. *_

So let’s wake up the others

**Done.**

_*Eliza points with her nose to the balcony outside a sliding glass door. Outside Irwin and Ellen Jr. are talking. You pick up Eliza and try—try being the operative word here because despite her not being too heavy to sit on your chest, she is too heavy for you to carry with your weak eleven-year-old arms—to carry her to the door. Ellen Jr. notices you before you can knock. She opens the door and pokes her head inside. *_

**What’s up?**

You guys ready to go eat and check out?

_*Irwin and Ellen Jr share a knowing look. You feel like this might be something to worry about later. *_

**Sure, let’s hit the road**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No riddle today


	16. Keep Moving Forward (2/3)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Tommy figures out that one guy from Greek Mythology's name.
> 
> (Part two of the Keep Moving Forward arc)

  
_*Later, after a tense breakfast—you just know Irwin and Ellen Jr. are hiding something from you—the four of you stand at the edge of Route 110. If this were a movie there would be dramatic music swelling in the background as each of you glare out into the Route. This isn’t really helping the tension, so you start tap dancing. *_

**What.**

**No, no. I think he’s going somewhere with this.**

**Off his rocker, probably.**

_*Still tap dancing. *_ I tap dance when things get too tense.

**How has this never come up before?**

Things have never bee—

_*Screams fill the air. You see purple explosions in the tall grass. Small Pokémon run away in every direction. *_

Guys—

**I’m way ahead of you.**

_ Help! Help! _

_*A Kakuna leaps out from the tall grass and onto one of the empty pokéballs hanging on your belt. *_

  
_*Just as suddenly as they had begun, the screams and explosions stop. This doesn’t make Route 110 seem normal again though. A strange ringing echoes around you. After a second you realize that you are hearing the absolute absence of ambient noise. *_

**That was weird.**

**And I here I was itching for a fight.**

Yeah… well, I guess we should check on our new teammate?

_*You press the pokeball’s release button. The Kakuna is pretty beat up. Cuts and scratches line her shell. Part of one of her new wings is sticking out of a laceration. Thank God you picked up all those medical supplies yesterday. Once you’ve bandaged her up, the Kakuna speaks. *_

_ Hark! Has the demon been defeated? _

**Demon?**

_ Yes, a demon. For as long as we can remember a demon has terrorized our kingdom. _

… I’m still confused.

**She must mean a bigger Pokémon. Wild Pokémon often create their own mythologies based on the food chains which is kinda similar to—**

**Shut u** p, Irwin.

So, uh who are you?

_ We are Queen Regina Esplanade D’Amour of Valenca. Or at least we were… _

Were?

_ The demon has finally destroyed our—the—kingdom. A queen is not a queen without her lands and subjects. We… I fear that the few who have survived this attack will not return to rebuild again. _

_*Regina begins to cry. *_

I am so sorry for your loss.

_ We haven’t the foggiest idea on what course of action to take now. _

You could come with us.

_ Thank you, but our duty is to this land. Kingdom or no, we cannot let the demon continue— _

_*A ghostly cackling echoes all around you. The ringing is gone. It’s replaced by a miasma that you can feel with all five of your senses. It sounds like a snarling monster. It tastes like sweat. It smells like decay. It feels cold._

_You have sensed this miasma before. *_

**Oh, you will not _let_ me? How adorab— oh. It’s you. **

  
_*Purple fog rises from the tall grass around Mewtwo. When you were younger your parents would tell you stories about what Mewtwo would do to bad little children. He takes them away and locks them inside his hidden dungeon._

_Psychic energy crackles around Mewtwo like lightning. That isn’t all it does though. The psychic energy pulses around you. Small bits of debris float up and down as if gravity can’t decide whether or not it wants to function. *_

**Tommy. **

Yes, Irwin?

**You won’t judge me if I pee on myself will you?**

I think I already beat you to the punch.

**Uh, who is this joker?**

Haven’t you ever heard of Mewtwo?

**I always thought it was a myth.**

Well you were myth-taken.

**Ayyyyyy!**

_*A peal of thunder explodes before you can high five Irwin. *_

**Ahem. Tommy, Tommy, Tommy. How fortuitous it for us to meet again.**

**You know this guy?**

Nope. No. Hell no. Mr. (or should I say Mx.?) Mewtwo, I think you’ve got me confused for someone else.

_*Mewtwo shakes its head no and waves its hand down. You are thrown to the ground by the psychic energy. *_

**Tommy, are you okay?**

I-I’ll be fine.

**Look, buddy, just because you’re a powerful psychic type doesn’t give you the right to—**

_*A giant boulder rams into Ellen Jr. knocking her off Route 110 and into the sea. Mewtwo floats down a foot away from you. It crouches down so that you’re on eye level. Irwin and Eliza try to cover you, but Mewtwo flings them away as if they were ragdolls. Regina shivers in your arms. *_

**You know, I’ve dreamed of this day for a long time. I thought long and hard about what I’d do to you if ever we crossed paths again. **

_*Mewtwo stands and starts walking back towards the tall grass. Before you can scurry away it waves its hand and you’re floating behind it. *_

**I considered evisceration…**

_*You feel psychic energy slice gently across your cheek. *_

**I considered strangulation…**

_*The psychic energy becomes a pair of hands that grasp and massage your neck. *_

**But then I realized it doesn’t really matter since _you don’t even remember_ what you did to me. To all of us.**

_*Mewtwo’s words trigger a vision. You see yourself holding up a skinny rectangular piece of paper in the air. His eyes are red. Perhaps he’s been crying. There are no pokéballs on his belt._

_“I—I have a wish,” he says, and the vision ends. *_

Am… am I going to wish for something?

**Excuse me?**

A wish. Is that what I did-am going to do?-to you?

_*Mewtwo slowly turns to face you. From the beatific grin on its face you can tell you hit the nail on the head. In a flash Mewtwo is sex inches into your personal space with its weird ball fingers on your head. You feel psychic energy forming fingers that poke and prod inside your mind. The pain is a rusty can opener scraping across your skull. Remote mines going off one after another. A thousand needles pricking you and then being pressed in at once. It's excruciating._

_For some reason this makes you think about what Steven said about being a non-psychic in a telepathic link. He implied that he needed training to be able to withstand it. You are a psychic, right? You should be able to fight back against the assault on your brain. However, even before you get to try Mewtwo removes its fingers and drops you to the ground. *_

**I see it now… you’re starting to remember, aren’t you?**

Remember? How can I remember something that hasn’t happened?

**Or not. You always forget. That’s what makes this worse.**

_*And then Mewtwo does something you never could have expected. It starts sobbing. *_

**I just want to go home.**

Me too…

_*Mewtwo looks at you with a mixture of disbelief and envy. You decide to continue speaking, maybe if you say the right thing it’ll let you go? *_

That’s the only reason I’m here really. Every time I think I’m closer to getting there something makes me have to start all over. It’s like that story about the guy rolling a rock up a hill.

**Sisyphus. And that makes sense.**

It does?

**Like him, you are cursed.**

_*You remember Zapdos said the same thing. *_

What… what does that mean?

**Someone or something hexed you and now we’re all doo—**

  
_*Ellen Jr.—appearing from nowhere—rams into Mewtwo. Mewtwo puts up a force field to protect itself, but that doesn’t save it from the brunt of the attack. *_

**As I was saying before I was so _rudely_ interrupted: just because you’re a powerful psychic type doesn’t give you the right to do whatever you want.**

**You… have no idea how dangerous this boy is, child. I have to kill him for the good of us all!**

_*The psychic energy hands grip your neck again. Slowly they constrict and constrict. You hear a whistling coming out of your mouth. Well, not a whistling exactly. It’s the sound of you trying to exhale and through a confined space._

_Ellen Jr. takes hold of you and you can breathe again. Right. Her steel exoskeleton is resistant to psychic energy. She rockets you up into the sky with Mewtwo following closely behind throwing psychic blasts. *_

  
**What do you want me to do?**

… Can you take Mewtwo out without killing it?

**Tommy, he’s trying to kill you.**

I know! I know! But I… just don’t kill him.

**Fine.**

_*Ellen Jr. throws you upwards. At the speed you’re going you have a lot of trouble seeing what she does. All that your eyes can pick up is a flurry of movement before Ellen Jr. punts Mewtwo back to the earth below. *_

  
_*it is at this point that you realize you’re falling. Fast. Ellen Jr. is right there to catch you though before you can land in the crater where Mewtwo lies. *_

What’d you do?

**Scrambled its brains. When Mewtwo wakes up it’ll be a miracle if it can even bend a spoon.**

**Tommy! EJ! Are you—what the fuck is that?**

**Mewtwo.**

**In a ditch. **

_ The demon is defeated at last. _

Yup. So does that mean you want to stay here, Regina?

_*Regina wiggles out of your arms. She surveys what is left of her kingdom. The tall grass is burnt. Trees and other large plants are overturned from the psychic energy messing with gravity. Small craters mark the earth all around. *_

_ If your knight is right and the demon is truly harmless now… we shall go with you. _

Really?

_ At least temporarily. If we wish to be a better queen, then we will need to get stronger. We have heard it on the wind that training with humans is one way to do that in a short amount of time. _

_*Irwin strikes a pose like a bodybuilder. *_

**You better believe it.**

_ May the Bright Mother protect us on this journey! _

_*You return Regina to her pokéball so she can rest. *_

So we need to talk.

**About Mewtwo?**

Amongst other things.

**I agree. This is the third legendary Pokémon that has attacked us because it “knew” you, Tommy **

It said I was cursed.

**What is that supposed to mean?**

**Maybe we should ask—holy fuck!**

_*Irwin points behind you to where Mewtwo was. It’s gone. *_

**We turned our backs on the body, mate! I’ve seen this movie, and let me tell you black dude always dies first!**

1: Irwin, you aren’t black. 2: Mewtwo wasn’t dead. 3: AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!

**Uh, Mewtwo left us a note.**

What?

**In the crater. Look. **

_*in the crater, carved in the dirt are words. They read:_

_Today I give you a boon, Tommy. While I may never go home thanks to you, it strikes me that thanks to your damned curse neither will you. -M *_

What’s that supposed to mean? What curse?

_*Your voice rises to a shout. If this is how you fall succumb to madness, then you hope someone is getting some enjoyment out of it. *_

**“Tommy, is that you?”**

  
_*Ellen Jr. moves like a flash and holds the professor in a half-nelson. *_

**Friend or foe?**

Friend, Ellen Jr, god!

**Well excuse me for being cautious since the last person to appear out of nowhere just tried to kill you.**

_*She lets him go. *_

Uh… hi there, Professor Birch.

**“What was that about, Tommy?”**

Ellen Jr. can be a bit… vigilant when it comes to protecting me?

_*Professor Birch wanders around the destruction. *_

**“What happened here?”**

You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.

_*He looks you up and down. For a second you’re worried that there’s some external proof that you just survived an attack from a legendary Pokémon on your face, but he says nothing. *_

What are you doing out here?

**“I was meeting up with… one of my research assistants here on Route 110.”**

**Oi, Professor, who was it? Crystal? Armando?**

**“Huh?”**

Irwin wants to know which research assistant.

**I wanna say hi!**

He wants to say hi.

**“Oh! Um… well. It’s May.”**

**… **

**“I figured either of you wouldn’t want to see her.”**

**Hell, no.**

**“But since I’ve got your attention, may I examine your Pokémon?”**

What?

**“Irwin’s gotten so big since last I saw him, and your Scizor is so fast!”**

**Me?**

_*Eliza does the cat thing where they walk in between a person’s legs in an awkward figure eight pattern. Birch immediately picks her up with no problem. *_

**“Why hello there.”**

_*From there Professor Birch gives all of your Pokémon—except Regina who he agrees would be better off in her pokéball—quick physical exams. He has Irwin bite through a couple nearby rocks, Ellen Jr. spread her wings, and Eliza extend her claws. *_

**“Your Pokémon are all in excellent health, tommy.”**

Awesome!

**“But the real question is: are you?”**

Goddammit.

**You know he’s kinda right, mate.**

Not you too!

**“What’d Irwin say?”**

Nothing important.

**“Look, I’m not going to drag you home or anything. It’s just… Tommy, I heard what happened.”**

   
**“Just… be careful.”**

Why... would I need to watch out for May?

**“She wants to bring you home.”**

She what?

** Whoa, calm down, mate. Why does she want— **

**“Tommy, she blames herself and when she heard about what you said to your father, she felt—”**

What? All I told my dad was that I’m not coming home!

**“Yes, but…”**

_*Your sight starts to get fuzzy again. Kind of like it does whenever you start to have a vision. The only difference between then and now is that you are one hundred percent aware of the real world around you save for the red tendrils in your peripheral vision. As you speak you feel as if you’re speaking with the voices of five hundred more of you. *_

You know what? You tell May if she wants to bring me home that she’s going to have to drag me back there. I’m getting back to Olivine City, no matter what.

_*Professor Birch blinks. If he’s fazed by your outburst, he doesn’t show it. He puts his hands on your shoulder. *_

**“I don’t agree with this, but I’m going to support you anyway. Tommy, you need to keep moving forward. It’s clear that it’s the only thing keeping you… together.”**

_*You exhale. You exhale and it feels like you had been holding your breath for days. Inhaling feels like coming back from the dead*_

It is, Professor.

_*He nods and bids you farewell. Once he’s gone you feel a claw on your shoulder. Ellen Jr. and Irwin stand flanking you on both sides. They don’t look too happy. *_

**Tommy, we need to talk.**

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Still no riddle.


	17. Keep Moving Forward (3/3)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Tommy feels like a different guy from Greek Mythology, but can't remember his name

_*You are shouting. You are shouting and you aren’t’ exactly sure why you’re shouting. It’s like the volume of your voice is the only kind of defense you have against the perfectly valid points Ellen Jr. and Irwin are making. *_

**You’re being stupid!**

Oh, real clever Ellen Jr.

**This is a fight, numbnuts. I don’t have to be clever.**

**Tommy, stop deflecting. Look, you destroyed a guy’s livelihood yesterday**

_*They’re shouting too, but that’s probably only so they can match you. At the end of the day an argument is kind of like a battle for dominance. The winner isn’t the person who’s right, but the person who makes the other acquiesce first. *_

I was having a vision.

**And what happens if one of your visions makes you do something worse? **

They won’t!

**What if you hurt yourself?**

I won’t!

**What if you hurt one of us?**

_*And that’s a low blow. You don’t really know how to respond to it other than denying that it could ever happen, but for a second a vision flashes past your eyes. It’s of you cradling Ari’s dead body._

_…_

_Eliza is the only one who isn’t taking part in this. Instead she’s sitting on the ground between the three of you. She sits perfectly still, her head moving back and forth to watch whoever is speaking. It’s around when Irwin brings up the time you went into a fugue state after Uno died that she gets up and starts running. *_

Eliza, where are you going?

_*She doesn’t answer and instead runs into a nearby house. *_

  
**This is your fault. I hope you know that**

My fault?

**You scared her off.**

Eliza doesn’t scare that easy.

**She’s a lot more sensitive than you—**

  
**What?**

What. What?

**Did either of you hear that?**

**EJ, this really isn’t the time to start acting crazy. We need to present a united front to—**

**Shut up, Irwin.**

**Ahem, I said:**

  
**Okay. You cannot pretend you didn’t hear it that time.**

… I did. And I really wanna get out of here.

**Seconded.**

_*You turn back to the door, but it is gone. Only a smooth wall is there when you rub your hands along it to make sure that this isn’t some kind of illusion. The lights go out. *_

This isn’t funny!

**I mean it kinda is in that “whoa, I wasn’t expecting that” way.**

Really, Irwin? Really?

**Silence!**

And who are you?

**That is irrelevant. You have entered my home, and it has decided to test your hearts.**

**Test our hearts? That’s a sounds like a load of crap.**

_*The lights come back up and Ellen Jr. is gone. Irwin is hiding under the table. *_

**Oi, whoever you are: give them back!**

**Give them back? I didn’t take your compatriots anywhere.**

_*The lights flicker and Irwin vanishes as well. After a few seconds laughter fills the air. Unlike the voice that has been talking to you, this time you can pinpoint a source. Under the desk you can see a figure. This honestly feels like a bad horror movie. *_

__  
Who are you and what do you want?

_*The man ignores your question and offers you his hand to shake. You don’t take it. *_

  
What? No! I came here because my Persian ran in here—

_*The man shakes your hand. And it’s strange. You feel a tugging pulling from your heart to your hand. You feel a wave of energy overwhelm your body. It is dark and cold, but the room has not changed at all in the three seconds since the mysterious man has grabbed your hand. He lets you go. *_

**The pact is sealed.**

****

_*And the man vanishes. You’re already getting tired of this. Now a door stands before you. It has esoteric scribbles all over it that you somehow can read perfectly._

_Your test will be long not short nor quick_ _But that is the way of the trick_ _Enter this door and you will start_ _To peek inside your damaged heart_ _What you see depends on you_ _And getting out is about what you do_ _Will you lean to your own understanding_ _Or can you listen to what others are demanding?_ _Don’t be deceived or fall to craze_ _And maybe then you’ll beat this maze. *_

__  
Fine. Whatever. Let’s do this.

_*When you reach for the door the strange energy overwhelms you again. This time it blacks out your vision before you can see what is on the other side of the door. *_

* * *

_*Ellen Jr. has her eyes shut tight. She tells herself that she’s bracing herself for whatever the stupid inscription on the door was about._

_You’ll have to face your face if you wish to leave_ _Just remember this is about your relief. *_

  **That didn't even rhyme!**

_*She knows that’s beside the point, but picking semantic fights is a lot easier than the ones Ellen Jr. is much better suited to without her sight._

_Ellen Jr. counts backwards from ten. Then she does it again. And then she counts backwards from three. It takes her several starts and stops to finally open her eyes to face the thing she didn’t want to see._

_Her own reflection. *_

* * *

 

_*Irwin struts down the dirt roads out of Azalea Town into the marshes of his youth. The word is set in grayscale. In the air a haunting refrain laughter echoes from faceless Totodile. Stapled to every tree is a short poem:_

_You could while away the hours_ _With your brain’s deductive powers_ _But instead what you’ve done_ _Is become prodigal son._ _If you don’t wish to be here_ _Then face your hidden fear_ _Because it is not all that strange_ _For your Self to change_

_Irwin does not notice this.  Or rather, he notices, but does not find it strange. This is because he is a Croconaw on a mission. *_

**Mum? Mum, where are you?**

_*As he calls for his mother, the Totodile take notice of Irwin. The first one Irwin makes eye contact with (he doesn’t make eye contact because it has no eyes because it has no face) tries to run away. *_

**Mum? Mum, where are you?**

_*As he calls for his mother, the Totodile take notice of Irwin. The first one Irwin makes eye contact with (he doesn’t make eye contact because it has no eyes because it has no face) tries to run away. *_

**Wait! Come back!**

_*Irwin holds out his hand (not claw?) to the fleeing Totodile. He waves to another Totodile. This one he recognizes. It’s his cousin— *_

**Sheila? Is that you?**

_*This faceless Totodile that Irwin was somehow able to recognize cocks her head to the side._

_“Uh, yeah. It’s me,” she says. “But… who are you?” *_

  **What? Sheila, don’t tell me you don’t recognize me.**

_*The faceless Totodile that is apparently Sheila shrugs helplessly. *_

  **It’s me, Irwin? Your cousin.**

_*Sheila squints. Or at least Irwin somehow perceives her squinting._

_“Look, mister. I don’t know who you are,” she says. “But you certainly aren’t my cousin Irwin.” *_

* * *

 

_*When Tommy can see again, he’s in a maze*_

Really? A maze is supposed to test my heart?

_*You laugh. Laughing is a lot easier than considering what is actually going on. Like, there are so many implications that you are doing your best to not consider. Where are you? What is going on? Who was that guy? Why would he want to test your heart? How did he put all of this together?_

_This being the maze you are in. The maze is big. That’s the first thig about it that jumps out at you. Tall walls. Wide space for you to walk. A lot of theoretical area for you to cover._

_You are willing to consider the maze. The only reason this is the case is because you figure the sooner you deal with the maze itself the sooner all the other questions will just answer themselves. Or you’ll just find your friends and leave._

_But then again, considering what you were doing before you got in this mess… *_

 Who knows if they’re even my friends anymore?

_*This is when you see a golden thread on the ground. He picks up the loose end. It leads further into the maze, and something about this whole setup feels familiar to Tommy. *_

 What am I supposed to do with this?

_*You look around again and see something strange: a note in your handwriting scrawled on the walls in something red. Follow the thread quickly. There’s a hungry monster in here. At the exact same moment when you finish reading your (?) note a devastating roar echoes through the maze. It shakes the walls and the ground and you. You can’t place the roar exactly, but for some reason you are very certain that the monster is behind you which leaves you with only one choice._

_You start running, wrapping the thread around your hand as you go. The last thing you need is to trip and fall over your lifeline. *_

**Tommy, wait!**

**Yeah, come back!**

 Guys? Where are you?

**Outside the maze.**

Ellen Jr. can you fly me out?

**The walls grow every time I try to fly up.**

 Of course they do.

**Well, just follow our voices and we can lead you out.**

_*You look at the thread wrapped around your fist. *_

 But I’ve got this thread…

**Tommy, I’m sure it’s a nice thread—**

**But we’re already outside. The exit is right over there. We can just lead you there.**

_*Another roar explodes around you. *_

 Fine! Which way?

**This way!**

_*You listen to their voices and realize that they’re going in the direction you came from. The direction the monster is in. The roars begin shaking the walls—the monster is getting closer. You look down the path your friends want you to take and the one the thread is leading you down. The choice is simple, you—*_

* * *

 

  **I am not afraid of myself. I am not afraid of myself. I am not afraid of myself.**

_*Ellen Jr. has her eyes shut again. Before she closed them Ellen Jr. tried to look away and instead got a full view of her new location: a hall of fun house mirrors. So to say that she had seen her reflection was a half-truth. A semantic fight that Ellen Jr. would fight the narration over, if you will._

_Her point of view is this; the distorted images of herself could not possibly really be her. Some are too tall. Others are too short. Some have devious glints in their eyes. Many look monstrous._

_Ellen Jr. opens her eyes. And then she shuts them again. *_

  **Fuck.**

_*Here is the thing that Ellen Jr. realizes about mirrors: they can only sorta lie. If she were Irwin, she’d say something about the scientific properties of light to explain this._

_The other problem with these mirrors is that Ellen Jr. can’t shake the feeling that there are people who see her in any of these myriad forms. She knows back with her swarm there were many who saw her as monstrous. And fuck them for that. But a small part of her, a small part of Ellen Jr. that she feeds in this moment, feels like it’s her own fault. She was the different one. She was the one who kill— *_

  **No. _No._ Fuck that. How other people see me is _not_ my fault.**

_*Ellen Jr. opens her eyes and glares into the reflection inches away from her face. This reflection is a distorted version of her. Head and eyes too big. Arms and thorax too spindly. Exoskeleton the wrong color, more magenta than red. *_

  **And fuck you! You aren’t real.**

_*The reflection is foaming at the mouth with rage. Her body is in the same position as Ellen Jr’s, which almost gives her pause again. But she keeps going anyway. *_

****  No one who matters sees me like this. Not grandma. Not Tommy or Irwin. 

_*And this knocks the reflection off its synchronization with Ellen Jr. *_

****  And most importantly, me!

_*Mirrors all around Ellen Jr. shatter. She doesn’t blink or brace herself and instead stands solid gazing out on the would be horizon where a door appears. It looks exactly like the one that brought her here. Since she doesn’t see any other possible exits, Ellen Jr. makes her way to the door. *_

* * *

 

 Really? A maze is supposed to test my heart?

_*You laugh. Laughing is a lot easier than considering what is actually going on. Like, there are so many implications that you are doing your best to not consider. Where are you? What is going on? Who was that guy? Why would he want to test your heart? How did he put all of this together?_

_And wow. This all feels kind of familiar. As if you were having a vision but were one hundred percent control of your body during. You wonder what your friends would say about that*_

 Who knows if they’re even my friends anymore?

_*This is when you see a golden thread on the ground. This too, feels familiar. Probably because it’s like that one story from Greek mythology with the guy who left used a spool of thread to get out of a labyrinth. Theseus? Perseus? One of them._

_Greek mythology seems to keep popping up in your life lately. *_

 So I guess I follow this to get out?

_*You look around again and see something strange: a note in your handwriting scrawled on the walls in something red. Follow the thread quickly. There’s a hungry monster in here. At the exact same moment when you finish reading your (?) note a devastating roar echoes through the maze. It shakes the walls and the ground and you. You can’t place the roar exactly, but for some reason you are very certain that the monster is behind you which leaves you with only one choice._

_You start running, wrapping the thread around your hand as you go. The last thing you need is to trip and fall over your lifeline. *_

**Tommy, wait!**

**Yeah, come back!**

 Guys? Where are you?

**Outside the maze.**

 Ellen Jr. can you fly me out?

**The walls grow every time I try to fly up.**

 Of course they do.

**Well, just follow our voices and we can lead you out.**

_*You look at the thread wrapped around your fist. *_

 Which way?

**This way!**

_*You listen to their voices and realize that they’re going in the direction you came from. The direction the monster is in. The roars begin shaking the walls—the monster is getting closer. You look down the path your friends want you to take and the one the thread is leading you down._

_You remember the Greek myth much more clearly now. In it the hero was in a labyrinth with a monster and a princess had given him the thread to give him a way out. Your friends—as well meaning as they might be— were going to lead you to your do—_

_You make the fatal mistake of turning your head ever so slightly to make sure the monster isn’t still gaining on you. It is not. But you do run into something furry. *_

 Oh crap.

* * *

 

_*The same scene repeats each time Irwin greets a familiar (but still nonexistent) face: he says hello, they respond with confusion, he insists that he is who he says he is, and they walk away. Irwin tells himself it isn’t that strange his cousins don’t recognize him. His mother had 41 eggs his year. And that says nothing of his many older siblings._

_However, some of the Totodile that he’s passed are his siblings. Siblings that he interacted with a lot before he got taken. This worries him. *_

**Well, I did _evolve_.**

_*Several Totodile appear just to laugh at Irwin. “Humans don’t evolve, silly,” they say in unison. *_

**  Human? Th-there must be some kind of mistake!**

_*Irwin runs on legs much longer than they were the last time he was paying attention to them to a nearby pond. He falls to his knees and peers into the reflective surface of the water. *_

**  Oh my God. I mean, Arceus. **

_*Irwin is human. He has a human face (round, like his Pokémon face). He has human skin (demonstrably brown, so take that, Tommy). He has human clothes (a lab coat with a weird scribble over his nametag and pants). *_

**  But it’s… I’m still me, guys!**

_*The Totodile speak in unison again, “You’ve changed. You became like_ them _. You aren’t our Irwin.” *_

**  No! I am me.**

_*They shake their heads, “Human. Too human.”_

_Irwin is about to repeat himself when he remembers the nametag. He snatches it off the labcoat and holds it up to the light. The characters on the nametag are nonsense, but in his mind he knows that they’re supposed to represent his first and last name. *_

**  This… isn’t real.**

_*One thing Irwin remembers having learned in his time in Professor Birch’s lab was that in dreams reading is next to impossible. *_

**  This is a dream!**

_*The world around Irwin shatters. All the Totodile vanish and he returns to his true form. In front of him is a door with a poem on it._

_Though you did not face your fear_ _I can’t in good faith keep you here_ _But know this: you did not succeed_ _Unlike your red friend who has been freed._ _You destroyed your trial by using your mind_ _But in doing so, lost the chance to find_ _A way to solve your identity crisis_ _So this will have to suffice. Yes._

_Irwin reads over the poem three times, his heart racing. *_

**  But that doesn’t even rhyme!**

* * *

 

 Really? A maze is supposed to test my heart?

_*You laugh. Wait. This is very familiar. You remember standing here and making a show of not considering the maze. You remember finding a golden thread on the ground— *_

Holy crap

_*There is a golden thread at your feet. You pick up the loose end because it’s what you did last time._

_Last time? *_

 Am I having a vision or something? I have to be having a vision because I know that there’s going to be a—

_*A roar shakes the maze! Last time (what is with this last time nonsense?) you started running, wrapping the thread around your hand as you went. But now you just stand still. Something does not feel right and the last thing you need right now i— *_

**Tommy, wait!**

**Yeah, come back!**

 Guys? Wait… I think I’m having a vision

**What?**

**Now?**

 I think?

**What’s it about?**

 This! Everything happening right now.

**O…kay? Well, just follow us and we can get you out.**

 Um…

**What?**

 There’s this thread. In my vision I was following it and I think that’s what I need to—

**Of _course_ you do.**

 ...And what’s that supposed to mean?

**Tommy, just forget it.**

**No. Of _course_ he’s having a vision at this critical moment. Of _course_ he’s going to freak out over the meaning of the vision. Of _course_ he’s going to chase after it without thinking. Of _course_ he’s going to ignore us. Of. Fucking _. Course_. **

**…**

 … Been holding that in for a while?

**Yes. **

 You feel better?

**Yes.**

 Good. Because you’re…

_*You try to look forward. See where the vision goes next because your visions have never failed you before. But nothing comes. You remember (not see, and this is an important distinction) following the thread and then nothing. Your memory (not vision, because this too is an important distinction) just turns to nothing. It doesn’t end. Visions end, but this… This gives you pause. What does that—_

_And then you realize that you’re “freaking out” over the meaning of the vision. But the monster. The monster that your friends could fight. The monster they would fight in a heartbeat to save you. Oh, God. *_

 You’re totally right.

**Say what now?**

 She’s right. She’s—I’ve been a douche.

**Well…**

**No, no. Let him finish. I wanna savor this.**

 We’re a team. And you guys have shown me time and time again that you care about my wellbeing so I’m going to trust you. I’m going to trust you guys forever from now on.

_*And the world shatters around you. The three of you. You wrap your arms around Ellen Jr. and Irwin. *_

**Well this sure is nice.**

Guys, can you ever forgive me?

**… For what?**

We just had a moment! You said you were savoring it!

**Um… Maybe there were imaginary us’ in your trial? Like mine generated my whole family.**

**Oh you got other people? I was stuck in a house of mirrors**

Anyways. Since it wasn’t really real, I apologized to you guys. You were right about me and how I’ve been acting because of my visions.

**Well, duh. **

**I mean, it’s nice to hear you say it explicitly but we really need to find a way out of here.**

And Eliza. Do you think she had a trial too?

_*As if it were some kind of answer a new door appears in front of you. *_

**Great. This again.**

Well, we might as well go through it.

**But what if there are more trials on the other side?**

Can I say something cheesy?

**I swear to “God” that if you say something about us being able to beat any challenge with the power of friendship, I’m going to slap you.**

… Then I guess I’ll just shut up and open the door

_*You raise your hand to the door and it falls away. All that is left is a door frame leading into more void. With nothing better to do the three of you walk through and end up—*_

  
_*Back in the original room with the weird little man that started everything. Eliza is sitting in his lap. Staring at each one of you. Ellen Jr. Strikes first. She grabs the man by his collar and hoist him into the air. Normally you’d admonish her or something, but after what you realize was a time loop maze you’re feeling kind of vindictive. *_

**What was that all about?**

**He can’t understand you. Tommy has to translate.**

**N-no he doesn’t.**

**Wait. What?**

**I can understand you just fine.**

**So are you a psychic too?**

**A psychic? Pfft, no. I am…**

_*The man disappears in a poof of smoke and reappears right behind you. *_

**A sorcerer!**

…

**…**

**… Magic isn’t real, mate.**

**Then how do you explain what just happened to you?**

**Hard light holograms and drugs.**

_*The man snaps his fingers and Irwin is suddenly human. You stare with your jaw on the ground, half in awe and half surprised that in human form Irwin is black. Who’da thunk it?_

_Irwin, however, is screaming. The man puts his fingers to his lips and Irwin’s voice vanishes. *_

**So. Let’s try this again: I’m a sorcerer!**

_*You and Ellen Jr. clap politely. He bows and turns Irwin back to normal. *_

That’s nice and all, but who are you and what the fuck was this all about?

**That’s quite the mouth on a child.**

I’m eleven.

_*The man looks you up and down. Then he gives you a double take. *_

Are you?

**Nope. We are not doing this now. Answer the questions, asshole.**

**Fine. I am the Trick Master and this is my Trick House. It’s normally like a fun house that warps itself to match the petty fears of whoever comes in and _pays_.**

_*The Trick Master pointedly holds out his hand. You do nothing. There is no real point in paying him for a magical fun house you got sucked into without your actual consent. *_

**I’m pretty sure I didn’t have to deal with a petty fear, mate.**

**Mine had fun house mirrors at least.**

And I had to do that stupid maze three times.

**You did it about five hundred times.**

What?

**Yeah… something went wrong when the three of you came in. There’s some kind of… energy around you that warped my spell.**

Some kind of energy?

**Like… are any of you currently under a curse?**

_*Irwin and Ellen Jr. point at you. The man gives you another double take. *_

**Hmm. Yes, but also no?**

What’s that supposed to mean?

**That you are under a curse—a powerful one at that—but it isn’t just you.**

**Say whaa**aaa?

_*The Trick Master points to Irwin. *_

**The energy from the curse is around you _and_ the Croconaw but—**

**Wait, I’m cursed too? What the fu—**

_*The Trick Master shushes Irwin. *_

**_But,_ the energy that warped my spell doesn’t seem to be coming from the curse. So think of yourself cursed twofold, young man. **

_*You’re about to say something when everything in your sights starts to fade away. A vision. Unlike the other ones this isn’t very clear._

_It’s as if you were trying to watch an old corrupted videotape. Random images and sounds pop in and out of frame: a green dragon, a star, the words “curse, despair, and walk away.”_

_You blink yourself out of the vision. *_

Well that’s just great. What am I supposed to do with this?

**I dunno. Break the curse, probably?**

And how would I do that?

**That I also don’t know.**

**Helpful.**

**Look, I just… I can see that your curse is there, but I can see what it is. You should probably head to Mt. Pyre.**

_*Irwin and Ellen Jr. bow their heads and tap their left shoulders. The Trick Master does this too. *_

What’s Mt. Pyre?

_*They do the motion again. *_

**It’s the most spiritual place in all of Hoenn, even _I_ know that.**

**Like Lavender town, but a whole island mountain.**

Okay… so what good would going to a big cemetery do?

**Well, you see it is also one of the most magical places in Hoenn outside of Sootopolis City. Sorcerers from all over the region go there daily. Someone much more powerful than me is bound to be there.**

And they could break my curse?

**Probably.  I don’t want to make any promises, kid.**

I understand.

_*The Trick Master sighs. *_

Here.

  
What’s this?

**Candy. Just. Think of it as the best apology I can give you, kid.**

For this trick house nonsense?

**For the despair ahead of you.**

  
_*The man places the candy in your palm. You blink and the four of you are outside the Trick House again. You try to knock on the door, but no matter how hard you do no sound comes. The doorknob vanishes the moment you try to grab it._

_You sit on the ground*_

So what have we learned today?

**The power of teamwork.**

**That you two are cursed.**

**Magic.**

**So what do we do now? **

_*You exhale. After everything in the Trick House, you aren’t really sure. You were so adamant about moving forward—and you still feel something tugging you—but now with the curse… *_

**We keep moving forward**

What?

**Look, Tommy. We need answers as much as we need to get to Lilycove City. The way I see it, we’ll either find them on Mt. Pyre or if we run into another legendary Pokémon that knows you and can explain. **

**I agree with Irwin.**

But guys. I’m cursed. And there’s my visions and everything so many things that could make this journey so much more dangerous for us. What if I freak out like I did in Slateport?

_*A dramatic and perfectly timed gust of wind blows. *_

**Yeah, I’m calling bullshit.**

You can’t call bullshit.

**I just did. Besides, Irwin’s cursed too.**

**Supposedly. **

**That magic man said it, so I believe it.**

**Whatever. Anyway, this isn’t just about you anymore Tommy. We need to keep moving forward, but now we’re just going to have to be more careful.**

**And if you ever seem like you’re gonna flip out again, I can just take you somewhere… less populated**

But—

_*You pause. In this moment you remember what you had to do to overcome your trial. The overall lesson you were supposed to learn. *_

Okay.

**Okay?**

Yeah, let’s get a move on.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the end of the Keep Moving Forward mini arc. After I post another interlude chapter, I'm taking a quick one week break


	18. Interlude 2: Call me, maybe?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You can't spell conspiracy without the word conversation. Well, you can. But why would you even want to?

_*David Birch stares at his PokéNav. He has a report to give soon. Well, not a report exactly. A report makes what David is doing sound much more formal than it really is. The PokéNav buzzes in his hand. *_

**“Hello?”**

**** So how did it go? Can you put Tommy on the phone?

**“um…”**

****David.

**“Yes?”**

**** Let’s start this all over. Is Tommy with you?

**“He is not.”**

_*There’s a muffled thumping on the other end of the line. Maybe Norman punched a wall? David tries clearing his throat to get his attention. Norman sighs. *_

**** Why not?

**“Norman, I think it might be for the best that we leave him be.”**

_*This time he definitely punches a wall. *_

**** You didn’t tell him, did you?

**“… no.”**

**** David!

**“What? What on earth would telling him do?”**

**** It would make him come home! Do you know how dangerous it is for him out there with that curse on him?

_*The curse. You’ve known it’s existed ever since you became the top professor in Hoenn. Back then you had trouble believing it was even real. In all your years since then you’d only heard ghosts of rumors of hearsay that some poor child had been stricken with it. Not until now had you openly facilitated giving a child the curse. Your best friend’s child, at that._

_And there’s this sick part of you that feels glad. Glad that you didn’t accidentally pass the curse to May. As guilty as you feel, your daughter comes first. But thinking that just makes you feel worse. *_

**“I’m sorry.”**

**** It’s not your fault. 

_*It is. You know it is. Norman knows it is. *_

**“Norman, did Tommy tell you why he doesn’t want to come home?”**

**** … I don’t think so?

**“He’s heading back to Olivine City.”**

**** What?

**“He didn’t say why, but perhaps the curse will break if he leaves Hoenn?”**

**** David, you and I both know that isn’t how this works. There’s only two ways to break the curse—

**“I’m not even sure if those even count as breaking the curse, Norman.”**

_*Norman laughs. As a gym leader he’s had much more training from The League on what the curse is like. You know the basics, but he knows the exact terms. *_

**** That’s beside the point! My son is in danger!

**“Look, Norman. Outside of kidnapping him, the only way to get Tommy home is to break him.”**

_*Norman goes quiet. Breaking Tommy would satisfy the terms of the curse, but it would also require a lot of deaths. The psychological scars left from this would make Tommy a shell of his former self. *_

**“Are you okay with that?”**

**** That’s why I sent May after him.

**“Wait, May knows? You told my daughter about the curse?”**

**** …

**“Norman!”**

**** She doesn’t know. 

_*It’s your turn to punch a wall. *_

**“So let me get this straight: you send my daughter—who is still feeling guilty from having killed your son’s Dunsparce—on a quest that will force her to kill his other pokemon?”**

**** When you put it like that—

**“It makes you sound like a manipulative bastard.”**

**** … I’m sorry.

_*You exhale. *_

**“I’m not sure if I believe that. You had better pray my daughter fails, Norman. Because no one deserves to have to do what she has done. No one deserves to have to do it again five times over.”**

_*David Birch hangs up the phone feeling justified, righteous, and guilty. He’s known Norman Marple for most of his life. They are—were?—best friends. But there’s a special place in hell for a man that traumatizes another person’s child for the sake of his own._

_As David’s chest swells with pride, guilt cuts him back down to size. Sure he’s in the right this time, but how many children were cursed in the past? How much has he benefited from their sacrifice? Is he a hypocrite? These are questions that David Birch will never be able to answer._

_Perhaps he should have Walked Away when he had the chance. *_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Riddle me this: how deep does this go?


	19. Interlude 3: Five Hundred Crowns

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> No one forgets their first coronation. I think.

_*You are seated on a throne in a blue room. Bright lights shines on you from every angle, making it difficult to see. Even though you cannot see it you know there is a crown on your head. It is adorned with eight jewels, two of which are reminiscent of the badges you’ve earned. You blink and the lights fade. A figure is kneeling at your feet. *_

 Rise, my knight.

**I cannot, my liege.**

 Why?

**You already know why.**

_*The figure’s tone is exasperated, but he does not look up at you. And that’s the thing, the voice makes you think this is someone you know. Someone you knew. Someone you are going to know? *_

 If I knew, then I wouldn’t have asked.

**Remember.**

 Remember what?

_*The figure—Ari—finally looks up at you. He is a Combusken. And then you see him iterated one hundred twelve times. It kind of feels like looking at him through a vision, but also not. The one hundred twelve Ari’s are all real._

_They appear in many forms—some are Torchic others are Combusken and Blaziken. Some look strong and formidable, their muscles bulging. Others appear frail, you can see their bones practically peeking through their feathers._

_One thing all the Ari’s have in common though is that they are covered in blood. *_

 Okay, this is getting really uncomfortable.

**You think you’re uncomfortable? Try being us.**

_*This Ari is a Blaziken missing an arm. You see it now—an Octillery ripped (will rip?) it off in a battle outside of Sootopolis. This Ari bled (bleeds?) out before you can get him and his arm to a Pokémon Center. *_

 I’m sorry, but… I don’t know what’s going on and this is really freaking disturbing and surreal. Am I having a vision?

**No. This is just a dream.**

_*This Ari is a frail Torchic. All you see of his past (future?) is him waddling and passing out. *_

 Then I want to wake up.

 ****Not yet.

 Why?

**Do you remember?**

 Remember what?

_*the world shifts and you’re atop a tower. A shooting star crosses the sky. The first Ari puts his hand on your shoulder. *_

**Did you make a wish?**

 What?

**On the star. Did you make a wish?**

** Did you make five hundred?**

**Do you remember?**

_*You are surrounded by the one hundred twelve Ari’s (how do you know there are one hundred twelve? Dream logic?) and three hundred eighty-eight other Pokémon. There are a few Marshtomp, Grovyle, and Sceptile. But there are also random Pokémon there too. Spinda. Golbat. Espeon. Mr. Mime. *_

 One hundred twelve plus three hundred eighty-eight equals five hundred.

**Yes. Yes, it is.**

 What is with that number?

** Did you—**

 Remember? No. I haven’t. and I still don’t know what you’re trying to tell me!

**I thought you finally remembered this part.**

_*And then you do. Yesterday while Mewtwo was trying to kill you, you had a vision. When you came to you asked him about it, sure that it was the cause._

_“Am… am I going to wish for something?” you asked_

_“ **Excuse me?** ” Mewtwo said, unsure._

_“A wish." you coughed. "Is that what I did to you?”_

_“ **I see it now… you’re starting to remember, aren’t you?** ”_

_But Mewtwo didn’t really tell you anything. It just implied you were the reason it couldn’t go home.*_

 Okay, but I don’t understand. What does a wish have to do with the number five hundred and Mewtwo and you guys?

_*The first Ari shrugs and the world shifts again. You’re standing outside the Trick House. *_

**Didn’t you learn something recently?**

 Why can’t you just tell me? Ghost rules or something?

**We aren’t ghosts.**

**We aren’t real.**

**This is a dream, Tommy.**

 So all of this is bullshit?

**Not necessarily. Dreams are a way for your brain to work things out unconsciously.**

 What do I need to work out?

** What did you learn here yesterday?**

 … I learned that magic is real.

**True.**

 And that I’m under a curse.

**Also true.**

 The wish is part of all this? The curse?

**That sounds about right.**

 But… I never made a wish.

_*All five hundred Pokémon laugh at you, “Didn’t you?” *_

 No. No, I didn’t

**Perhaps you should change the verb tense.**

 What?

_*The first Ari raises an eyebrow. *_

 Okay… so I will make a wish? But then how is my curse tied to something I haven’t even done yet? Why would Mewtwo hate me for something I haven’t done?

** Change the tense back.**

**I think it’s possible for both to be untrue and true at the same time.**

 That doesn’t make any sense.

**Does that make you want to… Walk Away?**

_*The world vanishes. Only you and the three Ari’s you’ve been speaking to are present on road surrounded by a void. *_

**When you figure out the truth will you Walk Away?**

_*You sigh. *_

 Look, I just want answers. I want to break this curse.

**That’s the right answer.**

_*You’re back on the throne. All five hundred Pokémon are holding crowns like yours. *_

 So is “remembering” going to help me break the curse.

**No.**

 No?

**I mean, technically you already do.**

 God, I hate the circuitous logic of dreams.

**That’s a big word for an eleven-year-old.**

 No, it isn’t.

**If you say so.**

 So how do I technically already remember?

**You already know.**

 Are we really about to go through this song and dance again?

_*The room turns red. *_

**I like jokes.**

 What?

**Jokes are a pretty interesting if you think of them mechanically. First, you have to set it up—make sure the basic situation is present and understandable. Then, you’ve gotta elaborate. And finally is the payoff when everything comes together in the punchline.**

 Is this relevant to anything at all?

 ****On a meta level.

 What?

**I’m just saying** you’re **not gonna get it until after the punchline hits.**

_*You pause, trying not to wonder how Ari did that with his voice. *_

 Am I gonna laugh?

_*The first Ari sighs. One by one each of the Pokémon destroy the crowns in their hands. As each crown shatters, melts, etc. the Pokémon holding it vanishes. Eventually the only one left is the first Ari. *_

 Did I ask the wrong question?

**No… it’s just that I don’t think you’d like the answer.**

_*Ari steps three inches into your personal space and smashes his crown. You see him being crushed under a Nosepass’ Rock Tomb._

_And then you wake up. *_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Grad school is kind of kicking my butt, therefore sporadic posting! Wish me luck writing the next few chapters.


	20. Back in the Groove?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tommy and the crew get moving after a break

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And part three finally begins. Hopefully I can post it all before grad school gets bad again.

_*You swipe your fingers across the PokéNav screen. Its map function pops up. You could use the analog buttons to move the cursor along the map, but right now you want to trace your journey out. Or at least the journey you’re planning to take*_

  
_*It’ll take your about four hours to walk to Mauville City and then from there about two weeks to get to Lilycove. But at least the path is mostly straightforward. There are no caves or canyons or mountains—well there is one._

_You don’t let the cursor stop on the landmark that has to be Mt. Pyre. The Trick Master said it’s the most magical place in all of Hoenn. Irwin pointed out that it’s pretty much an island cemetery. Either way, you feel apprehensive about even passing it along your journey to Lilycove. You could get answers about your curse there. You could pay respect to Uno’s spirit there. You could—_

_A flash of a vision comes and vanishes. A man in a red labcoat holding a red ball in the air. Whatever the fuck that means, you still don’t feel—*_

  
**Tommy, ready to get moving?**

Huh? Oh. Right.

 _*Yawning*_ **I don’t see why we have to leave this early in the morning. These past three days we just slept around and got up whenever.**

**Well, if we want to get to Mauville before the hottest part of the day we have to leave now.**

Yeah, remind me to buy summery clothes when we get there, Irwin.

_*There are technically two paths to Mauville City. The first, and most convenient, is a cycling road. It would get you all there in under two hours. Since you don’t have a bike though the path is off limits. The second path is a land bridge. Irwin almost immediately hops into the ocean and swims alongside the rest of you. For the first hour or so the four of you travel in silence until Eliza stops to tug on your pants leg. *_

**Regina?**

You wanna check on her again?

**Yes.**

_*You fumble for Regina’s pokéball. After dealing with the Trick Master you went back to Slateport City to have Regina looked over by a Nurse Joy. Parts of her shell were missing and her wounds were too serious to be saved by just sitting in a pokéball._

_After the checkup the Nurse Joy said Regina could experience a premature evolution thanks to the damage. You aren’t exactly sure why Eliza decided to take it upon herself to be the one in charge of checking on Regina, but it has been doing them both good: Regina gets out of her pokéball every few hours and Eliza gets to socialize with someone who doesn’t demand much back in conversation. *_

_ Greetings, companions. _

_*She promptly falls over.*_

**Your majesty!**

Eliza!

_*Eliza puts an ear to Regina’s shell. *_

**Not… breathing!**

**And you’re saying more than one word at a time!**

**Shut** up, **Irwin!**

It’s gonna be okay, Eliza. We’ll take—

_*Regina begins to glow in a way that reminds you of— *_

  
_*Regina hovers over her ruined husk. She blinks. She twitches. She stares at her twin needles. *_

_ … _

Wow, Regina. You evolved!

_ …? _

How do you feel?

_ … Confused. Very confused. May we return to our pokéball now? _

Huh? Uh… sure?

_*You look to Eliza for a hint of what’a going on before giving Regina what she wants. *_

So… what was that about?

**Dunno.**

**And she’s back to being monosyllabic.**

**Shut up, Irwin.**

_*Ellen Jr. sighs heavily. She puts a claw on your shoulder. *_

**Anyways. I think it’s because she evolved.**

Huh?

**Bug types can get weird about evolution. My swarm had a three-month ceremony for all the baby Scyther who even kinda sorta had the idea they might want to evolve where we’d all pray and call on the High Ones while they covered themselves in metal coat and recited scripture by memory. Anyone who couldn’t finish the ceremony would be “unworthy” of evolution. **

**But what if they still evolved?**

**They’d get kicked out. **

Oh. Well. Uh… sorry.

**Why?**

Didn’t you…?

**Pfft, no. I can still recite three months’ worth of scripture. Why do you ask?**

_*There’s an awkward pause. *_

… So you think the Weevil line has something similar?

**Yeah. She’s probably freaking out because she got to evolve without any of the ritual.**

_*There’s another awkward pause. *_

**Well that’s a mystery we sure solved in less than five minutes.**

Considering everything else lately, I think the universe owes us one.

**Mauville?**

To Mauville!

  
***

_*The tall grass at your feet and the ocean at your sides make the walk up Route _ feel so serene. If you had a bike you could be taking the cycling road above your head. Perhaps then you wouldn’t be running into such strange Pokémon._

_Several Tentacool jump out of the grass. A Dragonite tries to blast a hole in Ellen Jr’s sternum. An Omastar declares Irwin his king. Eliza—and Regina who came out of her pokéball again an hour into your walk—get marriage proposals from a glitch Porygon*_

Okay, I’m done.

**Done?**

_ But, Lord Tommy, we thought our trip would take another two hours. _

Not done with walking to Mauville. Done with these random encounters!

**Oh great. You’re back on this again.**

_ Back on what again? _

Pokémon appearing where they shouldn’t be! I don’t get how you don’t find this weird, Irwin.

**Yeah… I kinda agree with Tommy on this one. **

**Thirded.**

**We just learned magic is real. I just got jumped by a wild Dragonite. **

**Fine, it’s weird. But I don’t get what this all has to do with us.**

Nothing, hopefully. It’s just… strange?

**I guess, but is a Dragonite really the weirdest thing we could find at random? I mean, we fought Mewtwo.**

**_I_ fought Mewtwo **

Yeah, you’re ri—

_*You trip over something. Someone. *_

Oh. I’m so sorry about that. I guess I wasn’t watching—

**“Tommy?”**

Well, fuck.

_*You scramble backwards into Irwin’s arms. *_

  
**“I figured I’d find you eventually.”**

**Great. Waiting three days did absolutely nothing.**

**Shut up, Ellen Jr.**

_*Gulping*_ Well, it’s nice to see you. Not really. But I guess we’ll be on our way.

_*You start walking, but your team does not. At first, at least. They stare down May. You don’t even get to walk past her before she grabs your wrist. Her grip is tight and because of how sudden the contact is you don’t think to snatch your arm back. *_

**“Tommy, you need to come home.”**

I can’t do that, May.

**“It’s dangerous out here. Besides, I saw what you did back in Slateport City.”**

Wha…?

**“Don’t play dumb. There aren’t that many eleven year old trainers with a Croconaw and Scizor following them around. Look, I get that you’re hurting, but nothing makes destroying someone’s property okay!”**

**How’d she find out about that?**

**Well, Birch did say she was following us.**

It’s not what it looked like!

**“Well, it looked like you destroyed a bunch of herbs.”**

But—

**“It _looked_ like you were lashing out.”**

May, I—

**“It _looked_ like a cry for help. The man back at the stall agreed with me, so here I am.”**

**You are the last person he would ever need help from!**

_*May turns to Irwin. Her face is hard to read. Not because it is blank or impassive, but because there are so many dancing across it at once. Sadness. Grief. Confusion. Disappointment. *_

**“Irwin, I’m doing this for his own good.”**

This?

  
_*May hold up a pokéball, her arm outstretched as if she were trying to pose like a trainer in some random manga. She locks eyes with you. *_

**“Let’s battle.”**

What? No!

**“You know the rules, Tommy.”**

This is bullshit.

**“This is the only way I can get you to come home.”**

And if I win? You’ll leave me alone?

**“… I can’t promise that.”**

You’d better or else no battle.

_*May starts laughing and your vision becomes two. In the other world May is crying. She looks uncertain in ways that the May in front of you does not. Both Mays say—*_

**“Do you remember what you said when we first battled?”**

That I didn’t wanna?

**“You said two trainers who looked each other in the eyes debated league tariffs.”**

_*She keeps laughing. *_

**Nerrrrrrrrrd**

**“Do you know what happens if you refuse a trainer battle in Hoenn?”**

Please tell me it has something to do with League tariffs because, God, this is one hell of a non-sequitur!

**“Nope. It’s just something I thought about.”**

Can you get to the point?

**“Sure. I think it’s just funny that a kid who would joke about wanting to debate league tariffs wouldn’t know what happens when you refuse a direct and fair challenge.”**

_*You look over your shoulder at Irwin and Ellen Jr. They shrug. *_

Of course I do. People get angry with you and you keep on with your day.

**“In Johto, maybe. But in Hoenn, that’s grounds for getting your trainer’s license revoked.”**

Excuse me?

**“So, way I see it: you either battle me or I report you to the League.”**

_Perhaps it’s because we are not familiar with human customs, but what does that mean?_

It means the League would have grounds to take you all away. And since I’m a minor if I don’t a license or Pokémon I’d be forced to go back to Littleroot.

**“Bingo.”**

  
**That bi—**

_*Ellen Jr. slaps her claw in front of Irwin’s face. *_

**Hey, we don’t use that word.** _*To May*_ **That’s low.**

That’s downright Machiavellian.

**“Macky-who?”**

_*In your vision twofold you see yourself cradling Ari. One of the one hundred twelve. May is looking triumphant standing behind her Marshtomp. In this world you have stocked up on medicines and potions. You even have two gym badges under your belt which she does not have._

_The battle is a risk. For all you know May could have an ace in the hole. Your visions are pretty much useless in telling you what she’s going to do, and now after everything that’s happened in the past few days you aren’t even certain anymore if they’ll show you what she probably won’t do because an alternate universe future counterpart didn’t._

_But no matter what you’re going home. *_

Irrelevant. You win, May. We’re doing this.

**Tommy, I’m not so sure about this.**

_*Eliza bares her teeth and growls at May. *_

**I am.**

**Well not all of us are so stabby. **

You’ll be fine, Irwin.

**I know, but will you? You’ve got that look in your eye again.**

That look?

**The faraway one that you get when you’re having a vision. The angry one you got when we were in the Rusturf Tunnel. The scary one from when started flipping tables the other day.**

… I’m me. I promise. Besides, May isn’t really giving us much of a choice here.

**B-but we always have a choice, mate!**

_*Irwin looks at you hard. And then to Ellen Jr. He’s squeezing his hands together tightly. This is a look you recognize. Irwin is afraid. In your last battle against May you were confident and still something happened to change your fortune out of nowhere. A type advantage that you didn’t foresee despite your father having drilled you in the chart ever since you could read. This time you won’t let that happen. But there’s still the matter of comforting Irwin. *_

**Irwin, you don’t have to battle.**

**No, I do**

**Look, I can one shot most of her team **

**EJ, in the last battle with May I-I froze. Maybe if I had moved faster or if I had battled or something Uno would still be here.**

**But you didn’t.**

Ellen Jr!

**No, let me finish. You didn’t step in and you didn’t save Uno. Is this a guilt thing or you trying to feel less inadequate?**

Ellen Jr, that’s enough.

**She’s right.**

What?

**She’s right, okay? I feel guilty, mate. I feel like if I don’t do this then I’m not going to be able to make up for my inaction, but I’m also scared that if I fight I’m gonna die.**

_*You hug Irwin. Less than a week ago you were feeling scared and Irwin hugged you with his newly not-so-stubby arms and that made you feel so much better. Hopefully, returning the favor is helping him. *_

Irwin, I promise I won’t let anything happen to you.

**“Tommy, let’s get on with this. I don’t have all day.”**

_*Irwin shrugs out of your grasp. The two of you lock eyes. In his eyes you still see all the confliction and fear, but the determination in his gaze is more powerful than anything else. Briefly, you wonder what he may see in yours._

_Being brave is all about looking the part so you stand and square your shoulders. May is not going to win this battle—that much you’ve decided—and you aren’t going to hold back since it’s clear that she won’t either._

_Hopefully none of your team has to pay the price for that this time. *_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Riddle me this: does anyone know the meaning of dramatic irony?


	21. The Stinger (vs May Again)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's all about that reversal of fortune, baby

_*May sends out a Phanpy. You were honestly expecting that Ludicolo again. This little Phanpy isn’t really that much of a threat to Irwin. *_

Still worried?

**Yes, but no, mate.**

**Kick its ass, Irwin!**

**Thanks, EJ.**

**“Let’s get this started, Tommy. Send Irwin in.”**

_*You shrug. Irwin waddles over to the informal space between you and May that has become the battlefield. *_

_*May has her Phanpy use rollout which has it barreling towards Irwin, but you have him counter with a water gun. For a minute the pressure of the water exploding from Irwin’s mouth holds the Phanpy in place. The Phanpy’s rollout creates a rut in the mud. *_

**“Phanpy, speed up!”**

Speed up?

**Glurgle?**

_*The Phanpy starts rolling even faster and, slowly but surely, it starts inching closer to Irwin through the rushing waters. You have Irwin stop his water gun and jump out of the way. Phanpy keeps going. You expect it to roll straight, but somehow the Phanpy makes a sharp turn and rams into Irwin’s leg. *_

Irwin, I’m switching you out.

**No, no, no, no. I-I got a plan.**

You do?

_*Irwin points his nose at the rut in the mud*_

Ohhhhh.

**“Have something you wanna share with the class, Tommy?”**

Irwin’s staying in, I guess.

**"Then do something.”**

_*You nod at Irwin. He starts running to the mud. Just before Phanpy can collide with him, Iwrin drops to the ground and slides feet first into Phanpy as if he were sliding into home base. The force of their collision brings Phanpy to a halt.*_

Huh?

**Later, mate.**

_*Irwin shoots a massive water gun at May’s Phanpy which sends it soaring through the air…*_

_*… and into the ocean nearby. You do a happy dance before you remember that Phanpy is a ground type and cannot swim. *_

Oh shit.

**My bad.**

**“Phanpy, no!”**

Irwin, go save her!

_*Irwin leaps into the water. *_

**“This is what I was talking about, Tommy.”**

What?

**“It’s dangerous out here, and you need help.”**

First of all, that was an accident. Second of all, Irwin is saving your Phanpy. And third of all? If you wanna lecture me about how dangerous it is out here, you can forfeit the battle and let us be on our way.

_*This is when Irwin pops back above water with May’s Phanpy in tow. Without even looking she returns it to its pokéball and tosses another into the battlefield*_

_*Still no Ludicolo? *_

So I’m guessing you retired your Ludicolo or something?

**“What Ludicolo?”**

… Excuse me?

**“No, excuse me. What Ludicolo? I don’t have one.”**

Yes, you do. You used it in our last battle and I was all “how do you have a Ludicolo at level 13 when Lotad doesn’t even evolve into Lombre until level 14” and then—

_*May shakes her head. *_

**“See, Tommy? Delusions like these are proof that you need to come home with me.”**

But it isn’t a delusion! Tell her, Irwin!

**Mate, while I know she had a Ludicolo, I think it might be more important to focus on the battle right now.**

**Also, she can't really understand us.**

Fine. Back to the battle.

_*You have Irwin lunge at the Spinarak, but it leaps out of the way before Irwin can pounce. This repeats about four more times before you tell Irwin to fire off a water gun at the Spinarak as when it leaps away. The way you figure, water gun is a long distance move that can travel so far as Irwin can swivel his head, and since the Spinarak isn’t jumping that far out of Irwin’s range it should work._

_It does, of course. A geyser erupts from Irwin’s mouth which sends May’s Spinarak into the air. *_

**“Spinarak, use poison sting!”**

_*You see a skinny purple lights shoot through the geyser coming from Irwin’s mouth. He snaps his jaw shut and the water gun ends which sends the Spinarak plummeting to the ground. *_

I don’t really understand what that’s going to do at this point

**“Give it a second.”**

**Send out your next Pokémon, May. I’ll one-shot you—**

_*Irwin starts violently coughing. He collapses. Then he starts throwing up. *_

Irwin! Ellen Jr, help!

_*Ellen Jr. turns Irwin onto his side. Eliza bounds over with Regina buzzing behind her. *_

**I-I don’t know what to do.**

What did you do?

**“Spinarak used poison sting.”**

Yeah, and?

**“The poison sting traveled through the water gun and into Irwin’s mouth. Depending on where it connected in there, if he doesn’t get a pecha berry soon it could be fatal.”**

_*Fatal._

_The moment May says this word your sight gets hazy. Regina is talking, but you don’t really hear her. Your mind is trying to pull you into a vision of another time May said this to you. Because this has already happened. Will happen? Is happening?_

_Fuck. Now is not the time to deconstruct the verb tense of what is happening to your mind._

_You fight against the coming vision with the sheer force of your fury. It’s like you harnessed the power of a primal scream. Everything around you is moving faster and slower at the same time._

_You see your hands tearing through your backpack to find a pecha berry._

_You see Ellen Jr, Eliza, and Regina trying to revive Irwin._

_You see the purplish hue around his cheeks._

_You see May holding a pecha berry in her hand like a baseball. *_

May, give that to me.

_*She pauses as if she were making a tough decision. *_

**“You know; I don’t think I will.”**

What?

_ Lord Tommy, Irwin’s neck is swelling! _

**“This may be drastic, but it’s for your own good.”**

For my own good? This could be fatal! Irwin could choke on his own vomit!

**Not if I have anything to say about it. **

_*Ellen Jr. vanishes. Probably to search the surrounding area for pecha berries. She’s gone before you can tell her to just take May’s *_

May, why are you doing this?

**“Tommy, you need to come home. Everyone’s worried about you. Your parents, my dad—”**

Funny. I just saw your dad. He told me to keep an eye out for you.

**“What?”**

He told me to be _careful_. And I went off on him about how if you wanted to bring me home you’d have to drag me back. Mostly because I thought you wouldn’t try to do it. But this? This is too much. Give me the pecha berry, May. Don’t kill another one of my Pokémon in your quest to alleviate your guilt.

_ Lord Tommy, if he throws up any more he could really hurt himself. _

_*May looks at the pecha berry. Then at Irwin. And finally back at you. She puts the pecha berry back in her bag. *_

**“Send out your next Pokémon or surrender, Tommy.”**

_*You’re about to lunge at May when someone else beats you to the punch: Eliza. She leaps at May, knocking her over and pinning her down. *_

_ Eliza, no! _

**Eliza, yes!**

_*You see a red flash in your peripheral vision. Ellen Jr. appears again at Irwin’s side holding several pecha berries. Forgetting about Eliza, you rush over to her. *_

**Do you think this will be enough?**

Hopefully.

_ We don’t think Irwin will be able to chew them up on his own. _

Then I’ll do it

**Me too**

_*You and Ellen Jr pop pecha berries into your mouth and start chewing. The sweetness of the fruit strikes you, but once you’ve got it mashed down into a paste you spit it out into your hand. Ellen Jr. follows suit._

_On Regina’s instruction you open Irwin’s mouth and carefully let the chewed up pecha drip into his mouth. Once enough is in you have Ellen Jr. lightly massage his throat until he starts to swallow. *_

How will we know if it worked?

_ The purple on his cheeks will go away. _

_*you stare at irwin’s cheeks until your eyes burn, but no change happens. *_

_ It might take a moment or— _

**“Tommy, get your Persian off me.”**

_ I’ll watch him, just finish the battle _

Eliza, get off May.

****“You know I could charge you for your Persian attacking me.”** **

You know I could charge you for admitting you were trying to kill one of my Pokémon.

**“Point taken. Nidorina, go!”**

Ellen Jr?

**Yeah?**

_*This time you can’t stop the vision from coming. You’re standing next to Ari as a Blaziken in front of your father’s Slaking. This other you feels nothing for his father. All he wants to do is cause as much pain as possible. Ari can do that and more. In reality you feel the other you's smirk on your face as you say to Ellen Jr. what he said to Ari: *_

Walk all over her.

**I was hoping you’d say that.**

_*Before Nidorina can so much as blink, Ellen Jr. vanishes and reappears right next to her. *_

**Remember me?**

**Oh god not ag—**

_*Ellen Jr. picks up Nidorina and choke slams her. *_

I win. Now leave.

**“But I…”**

We had a deal. If you’re going to keep following me—and we both know you are—the least you could do is honor it.

_*Your sight becomes twofold again. In another time another you is kissing May goodbye. It's makes you in the real world want to throw up. May stares you down for a minute before returning Nidorina to her pokéball. She gathers her things in silence all the while keeping perfect eye contact with you. It’s creepy. *_

**“Maybe that’ll do my job for me.”**

Excuse me?

**“You’ll see. Good luck with the Mauville Gym.”**

_*As she leaves you wonder if one of those random Dragonite will jump her. *_

**What was that even about?**

Maybe it’s like what Brawly said about the Mauville gym and no one really challenging any after that.

**Then it’s a good thing we’re doing neither, right?**

_*You look up at Ellen Jr. as you’re about to respond in the positive and see a crown hovering above her head. This reminds you of a dream you had a couple nights ago, but only vaguely remember. There were three different Aris and crowns and the number 500? Whatever._

_The crown is gone after you blink a few times. *_

_ Lord Tommy, Lady Ellen Jr, we think you should come over here! _

**Ir** win.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Riddle me this: is this irony or just coincidence?


	22. The Feebas Conundrum

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The trainer reevaluates. Again..

  
_*As you run from Route 110 you have to check your PokéNav again. According to the readout the Pokémon center is in the northern half of the city. *_

Ellen Jr, we don’t have much time!

**I’m moving as fast as you are.**

Then move faster!

_*Ellen Jr. rolls her eyes and wraps her arms around your waist. You scream no as she leaps into the air. *_

_ Why did we not do this from the start? _

**Tommy’s afraid of heights or something**

I am nooooooooooooooooot

  
**And we’re here.**

Okay, Ellen Jr. you go scout ahead on Route 118, we’ll head to the Pokémon center.

**Deal.**

_*She vanishes. You and Regina—and Eliza once she pops out of her pokéball—make your way to the Pokémon center. Irwin is in your backpack napping. As you run you can feel his slow breathing against your back. The pecha berries worked, but he’s been out cold ever since. Regina assured you that he’ll live, but also pointed out the poison stinger stuck to his tongue. She explained that someone with hands would need to take it out, or else the stinger could get infected. You would’ve tried, but you didn’t feel like taking a chance on fucking it all up._

_When you walk into the Pokémon center it’s like that cliché scene in a movie where the record scratches and everyone stops doing everything. Trainers stare at you. Nurse Joy stares at you. When you heft Irwin onto the counter and explain what happened to Nurse Joy, you catch sight of yourself in a reflective surface. There’s mud all over your face and clothes. Your hat is torn. A few cuts and scrapes crisscross your face. You took a shower literally ten hours ago, but you look a hot mess. *_

Holy shit, I need a shower.

 _*coughing*_ **Well… we have a few communal bathrooms if you don’t mind, um…**

Yeah, I’m just gonna go.

 _*still coughing*_ **Do you want to leave your other Pokémon with me as well…?**

_ We will be fine, Sir Tommy. Go refresh yourself. _

Are you sure?

**You stink.**

Thanks.

_*You spend an hour in the shower. Only five minutes of it showering. The other fifty-five you put your PokéNav on the eighties station again and belt out songs several octaves out of your range. And you feel a little bit better._

_When you get out of the shower you fumble your way back into your clothes which you find clean, neat, and folded on a nearby bench. Minus your underwear which is missing… *_

**Nice undies, mate.**

Oh my god, Irwin, give me those!

_*You pause. *_

Irwin!

**Me!**

You’re okay!

**Well, I did get this sick scar.**

_*Irwin sticks out his tongue. Along where the poison stinger was and presumably where Nurse Joy removed it, is a discoloration. A think white line._

_You pick Irwin up and hug him tight. *_

That was all my fault back there.

**I was the one who insisted on battling.**

But I-

**Orrrrrrrrr before we get into a self-flagellation contest, we can agree that we blame May the most.**

Deal.

**...**

...

**...** **So what do we do now?**

Well first, you give me back my underwear—

_*Irwin puts them on his head like a hat. *_

Oh my fucking god. Irwin.

**Fine. So I give you your underwear, and then what?**

Then—

**Then I tell you we can’t take Route 118.**

**AAAAA** GGH!

**Wailmer fucking yellow Piplup, EJ! What was that for?**

**First of all, gross. Second, Tommy we can’t take Route 118.**

Why not?

  
**That’s why not.**

B-but…

**Sorry, Tommy.**

But this take isn’t even on the map!

**Excuse me?**

Look!

  
**Well, that’s kinda weird.**

“Kinda” weird, Irwin? It makes no goddamn sense!

**Hey that kind of language isn’t appropriate for a young man to use with his Pokémon!**

_*The man trying to admonish you is a bird trainer. You give him the once over, and then let Ellen Jr. and Irwin do the same. *_

Oh, how about this for appropriate language: you can fuck off while sucking Nurse Joy's ass.

_*The man sputters and you watch him leave. In retrospect that was pretty rude of you. You resolve to say something really nice to Nurse Joy to make up for it. *_

**We need a plan b.**

**Wasn’t agreeing to do a delivery for Mr. Stone and leave from Slateport City was our plan b?**

**This is true.**

**Maybe if we can go around?**

_*You blink and you just know what to do. It’s like muscle memory or something. *_

The gym challenge.

**Excuse me?**

The gym challenge!

_*Irwin does a happy dance, thinking he’s figured out your new plan. *_

**Remember, they charter buses and things for people doing the challenge.**

**Yeah, but that service doesn’t run regularly past this point since nobody really challenges any of the leaders after Mauville anymore, remember?**

Yeah, yeah, yeah. But what about using an HM? An HM that would give a water Pokémon the ability to ferry passengers over a great distance. An HM that you’re allowed to use only if you beat the right gym.

_*Irwin puts his hands (claws?) on his face in surprise. *_

**Tommy, you don’t mean…**

The surf HM! I remember my dad telling me all about how Morty used to give the approval to use it in Johto, so we just need to figure out who it is—

**And hope they aren’t across this lake.**

That too.

_*You pull out your PokéNav and start searching the internet for an answer. *_

**That was pretty clever, Tommy. How’d you figure that out?**

I… I just knew.

**Like you were having a vision?**

Kinda? No? I’m not really sure.

_*The three of your start walking back to the Pokémon center. *_

  
It’s like… I dunno, like I’ve done this before?

**We have, that was the point of Ellen Jr. pointing out that we’re far beyond plan b at this point.**

Well, yeah, but that’s not what I mean. I feel like I’ve been here in Mauville before, wanting to cross Route 118.

**But you’ve never been here before. Are you sure this isn’t a vision thing?**

_*You shrug. It feels a lot more familiar than the visions tend to, and those always feel like you’re having déjà vu. It’s like—_

_A voice forcing itself to be loud interrupts your thinking. *_

I-I can take on Wattson, I know it!  
  
**Wait a tick. Isn’t that wally?**

**Who’s Wally?**

**This kid me and Tommy helped when we were first starting out. He caught a Ralts on his first try without even weakening it.**

Guys, I’m getting that feeling again.

**Great. Now we don’t have to worry about inaccurate visions leading us. Just Tommy’s intuition.**

  
**You sure about that?**

Of course I— Tommy! Hi!

Hey, Wally. You look better.

_*The last time you saw Wally he looked like he would fall apart if someone so much as uttered an unkind word in his direction. Now he… well, at least has his pallor back. And confidence, apparently. You think about what Brawly had said about the Mauville Gym. Wally probably hasn’t even battled Roxanne._

_There’s a standard issue Pokémon trainer hammerspace backpack at his feet. *_

Thanks, Tommy! My aunt thinks it’s because of the clean air in Verdanturf Town.

**Clean air filled with steroids?**

Shut up, Irwin.

Huh?

I meant to say, “You’re gonna challenge this gym?”

Well, I want to, but my uncle won’t let me.

**Because you’re still a new trainer! You only have that Ralts of yours and nothing else.**

But Ralts and I are pretty good.

**Good or not Wattson is a pretty tough trainer! You’ve only been doing this for a month!**

**Wait, it’s only been a month?**

_*You do the math in your head. Then, you look at the date on your PokéNav. Yup. It’s September. *_

**Did you think it had been longer?**

I’m more surprised that we got two badges in a month.

You have two badges?!?

  
**What?**

What?

**What?**

Uncle, if I can hold my own against Tommy you’ll have to see that I can battle Wattson!

But I haven’t—

  
**Wally, no!**

Well, we might as well get it over with. Ell—

_*Irwin leaps into in front of you, baring his teeth at Wally. *_

Irwin, no.

**I’m the only one with a dark type move.**

**There’s always Eliza—**

**Who is still at the Pokémon Center.**

You just got a poison stinger taken out of your tongue.

**And I really wanna fight.**

**Does he do this often, Wally?**

Yeah, I think Tommy thinks he can talk to Pokémon like the old Petalburg gym leader's son, but other than that he’s really cool.

**Oh, dear...**

_*While you and Ellen Jr. argue with Irwin, Wally sends out his Pokémon. *_

  
Wally.

Yes, Tommy?

Didn’t I help you catch a Ralts?

Yeah?

And didn’t your uncle just say that you only had a Ralts and nothing else?

Yeah?

That is a Feebas! That Pokémon flopping on the ground uselessly is a _Feebas_! Which is not in any way, shape, or form the Ralts Irwin and I helped you catch!

_*Wally and his uncle’s eyes get hazy. They cock their heads to the side simultaneously as they stare through you. *_

I don’t know what you’re talking about, Tommy. Use splash, Feebas.

_*It flops around uselessly. *_

Seriously?

**So… can I fight?**

Fine. Just, put the poor thing out of its misery.

_*Irwin does a macabre only because of the context happy dance and punts the Feebas into a nearby wall. *_

  
Oh my god, Irwin!

**… You know in retrospect, maybe I was a bit too hasty wanting to fight too soon.**

_*Wally returns his Feebas to its pokéball and begins shrugging his backpack onto his shoulders. He doesn’t look at you. He actively does not look at you. When he turns to his uncle you see tears running down his cheek. *_

  
_*Wally promptly runs off. Or at least he tries to. For all the good living in Verdanturf has been doing for him, he still doesn’t have a that much stamina. *_

**Well, now I feel like a jerk. **

You should. Um. Mr. …?

**Noriega.**

Yeah. I’m so sorry about that?

**It’s okay, I wanted Wally to get a wakeup call. That was definitely a wakeup call.**

_*Wally is still periodically running and stopping to catch his breath. *_

He’s gonna hate me, isn’t he?

**What? No! Wally thinks the world of you.**

He does?

**Of course!**

But—

**But you haven’t really done anything.**

Shut up, Irwin.

 _*Wally’s uncle—Mr. Noriega—rubs the back of his head awkwardly. He stares over your head as if he were trying to avoid looking you in they eye. And you know he feels guilty about something. *_  
  
Huh?

**Well, maybe you can give Wally some advice on Pokémon training?**

That, I could do.

_*Mr. Noriega leaves and waves at you vaguely. You wait a few minutes before addressing your Pokémon in a conspiratorial whisper. *_

What was the deal with the Feebas?

**Wally was definitely convinced he had a Ralts.**

But it wasn’t.

**Well, duh.**

I just… it feels weird, but I don’t know what to do with it yet? Do you think it might be curse related?

_*Irwin crosses his arms in an X over his head and makes a buzzer noise. *_

**Worry about that later; we need to prepare for this gym.**

_*The wind begins to blow from the west. You turn to face the Mauville gym. Ellen Jr. and Irwin are standing at your side. To be honest, it’s a very cinematic moment._

_Through your peripheral vision, the crown reappears over Ellen Jr’s head. *_

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Riddle me this: is this a pattern yet?


	23. Pearls before...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's time for yet another training montage. I think?

_*The next day you gather your team, a bunch of healing supplies, and a brand new training playlist. Your goal is to do a buttload of training—with Irwin and Ellen Jr. most of all—and then attempt the Mauville gym tomorrow. Maybe after you’ll stop by Verdanturf Town? According to your PokéNav it’s less than an hour away on foot._

_You really want to apologize to Wally. But you also don’t want to? Wally’s Feebas isn’t dead, but his reaction made you think about Uno. May never apologized. You’re going to be better. Eventually._

_One of the first things you see on Route 117 is a little house with Pokémon playing in the backyard. *_

  
A Day Care?

**Yes, young man. I’d say we were glorified babysitters, but we also train Pokémon.**

Really?

**Perhaps you’d like to leave your Croconaw and Scizor here for the day?**

Well that sounds—

**No!**

Huh?

_*Irwin is blushing as he pulls you down to his level. The man looks on curiously as you talk to your Pokémon. *_

**Tommy, this guy is a breeder.**

_*Ellen Jr. pushes Irwin away. *_

**Eww. As if!**

Huh?

**Tommy, please tell me know you where babies come from.**

The Delibird brings them—of course I know. I’m not 10.

**You’re eleven, and this guy is a Pokémon breeder.**

…

…

As in s-e-x?

**Why are you spelling it?** _*To Ellen Jr. *_ **Why is he spelling it?**

**Well, breeding isn’t all we do here. When I say we train Pokémon, I do mean that we train them.**

Oh. Well. Thanks, but no thanks.

_*As you leave the man you feel a vision coming. In it another you is passing pokéballs to the man. There are four pokéballs. Two are left on his belt, but they are empty. Ari and Lisa are elsewhere now._

_The other you is crying. A cloud of despair hangs over him. His body sags and quakes._

_“I-I can’t take this anymore,” he says. The other you is clutching his chest as if his heart was going to fall out. “It’s t-t-t-too much.”_

_“You aren’t Walking Away, now are you?” he asks. The you in this vision experiencing these events firsthand doesn’t notice, but the old man is grinning._

_You blink yourself back into reality and take another look at the daycare man. He looks harmless. Your visions can’t be trusted with absolute certainty. *_

Let’s get down to business then.

***

_*Eliza and Regina leave to go hunting while you have Irwin and Ellen Jr. practicing attacks on some nearby boulders. You wonder what it is about Hoenn that has random boulders on practically every other route._

_After a while you decide to decide to have them head into the tall grass to battle some wild Pokémon. Hopefully, you think, nothing inappropriate appears._

_And then you trip over a Shellder. You aren’t exactly sure how, but one of your empty pokéballs falls off your belt and— *_

****  
You’ve gotta be kidding me. 

Well, at least we’ve got a new member of the team?

**I’m with EJ. You just tripped over her.**

_*You let the Shellder out of her pokéball and offer a couple oran berries. *_

_ So, like, who are you? _

I’m Tommy and that’s Irwin—

**G’day.**

And that’s Ellen Jr.

_*Ellen Jr. brusquely nods. *_

Sorry for tripping over you.

_ Like, it’s whatever. I’m— _

  
Nice to meet you, Pearl. What’s a sea-dwelling Pokémon like you doing out here?

_ Because I, like, live here? _

But don’t you need salt water?

_Yeah? So?_

There isn’t any nearby, is there?

_ Like, no. _

But—

_*Irwin takes you be the arm and pulls you aside. *_

**Tommy, you’re doing it again.**

Irwin, do you trust me?

**Yeah, mate. But what—**

Just go with it. Hey, Pearl.

_ Like, yeah? _

Do you literally live right here?

_As if. My village is deeper in the tall grass._

_*You nod, trying to perform nonchalance. *_

Well, catching you was a big misunderstanding. Why don’t you let us escort you home?

_ Really? _

**Really?**

Yeah. It’s the least I could do.

**You already did the least by giving her our oran berries.**

Shh! So what do you say?

_*Pearl thinks for a second. Before she starts hopping deeper into the grass. *_

_You’d better not be a poacher or something, ‘cuz there’s, like, forty Cloyster back in my village that could totally demolish your shiny bug._

**Hey!**

_*Pearl keeps hopping and the three of you follow staying about two or three feet behind her. Ellen Jr. and Irwin lean in close to you to whisper. *_

**So what's this all about?**

I know you don’t care about weird Pokémon appearing in weird places, Irwin, but did my back and forth with Pearl about saltwater seem familiar to you?

**Not really?**

**It sounded circular.**

Well, yeah, but I’ll give you two a hint: Wally and his Feebas.

**Wait…**

Yup. Wally recognized that he was supposed to have a Ralts, but no matter how many times I pointed out he was using a Feebas he didn’t seem to get that. It was like some kind of mental block.

**And you think Pearl has the same thing?**

I think Pokémon appearing where they shouldn’t be is linked to the mental block. Following Pearl back to her village will give us the chance to ask the other Shellder and Cloyster about saltwater, which might prove my theory.

**Which is, what? That they won’t think it’s weird that they’re living on land far away from seawater?**

Okay, so I haven’t completely figured out what it’ll _mean_ if I’m right, but…

_*You look ahead at Pearl. She’s hopping nonchalantly through the grass as if she’s always lived in this environment that isn’t tailored to her at all. *_

**But what?**

What if this is tied to the curse somehow? What if everyone’s weirdness is tied to the curse?

_*Irwin puts a hand (claw?) on your arm. His voice sounds far away, but adamant. *_

** Mate, I love you, but what does this even matter? **

Huh?

**You're obsessed with this admittedly strange thing, but Tommy I think you need to drop this.**

EJ, you're seeing this too, right?

** Yup. Can I hit him? **

No! Maybe he's not acting weird on purpose.

_*Irwin's eyes glaze over as he cocks his head to the side. *_

**I don't know what you're talking about.**

** Tommy. **

No!

**I'ma do it anyway.**

_*Ellen Jr. slaps Irwin in a way you assume is meant to be lightly, but knocks him back a couple feet. You shout ahead to Pearl that you'll be right there in a second while you go to help Irwin up again. *_

**What the fuck, mate?**

**And he's back.**

**I never left!**

Irwin, you were talking like Wally and his uncle!

**No, I wasn't!**

** Do I need to slap him again? **

No, Ellen Jr. Irwin, what do you remember happening?

_*Irwin laughs at you, tired. He stares at his hands (claws?) pathetically. *_

**Tommy, I—**

_*A scream and explosion cut Irwin off. And you feel something like a thousand needles jamming into your arm at once. The three of you take off running in the direction of the scream to see Pearl lying on the ground in a small clearing with a Kadabra looming over her._

_And then it fires off a confusion attack. *_

_Li-_

__  
*Several things happen at once.

_You collapse to the ground. As you fall Ellen Jr. lunges to attack the Kadabra. Before Ellen Jr. can close half between the distance between her and the Kadabra, Irwin tries to shield Pearl’s body from further harm. From the corner of your eye you see Eliza running in with Regina trailing behind._

_All of you are crying. The tears flowing threaten to overtake you. Your being is in danger of becoming saline. The world is unclear through the ways tears distort it. Everything and everyone is round._

_And then you blink. You are and are no longer in Route 117. It’s colorless around you. Not gray. Not white. Colorless. Which is a phenomenon that you can’t completely fathom as you experience it._

_What you can fathom is the cold. You can fathom a stabbing in your chest. As you reel from the pain—emotions made tangible—you try to focus on something else. Your hand! You stare at your hand, trying to blink yourself back into reality, but your color fades away._

_And the stabbing—what is the right word for this? —continues._

_In this colorless otherworld you wail to the heavens where you just know neither Uno nor Pearl are. And that realization brings more emotion—more physical pain—to you. The idea of the dead going to a great big nothing brings you—_

_Despair. Despair! That’s the word. This emotion wreaking havoc on your body is despair._

_With that realization you finally blink yourself back into the actual Route 117. The others are surrounding you, and you scream. The crown hovering over Ellen Jr’s head is glowing bright. Blinding. You turn your head and see something pink in the distant grass. *_

__  
*You lock eyes with the Mew, your bodies shuddering in mutual anticipation.

_“Help me,” you wheeze._

_The Mew just smirks before it vanishes. And you can’t stay conscious anymore. *_

_I can’t do this anymore, Raqiya._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Riddle me this: who is Raqiya?


	24. The Tower

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In the tarot the Tower in the upright usually means revelations and disaster...

_*An ornate tower stretches into the heavens in front of you. Everything has led up to this moment. With your partners by your side you walk through the main entrance to begin your ascent. *_

**Tommy, mate, what are we even doing here?**

Look, ever since we saw that Mew I’ve been doing so much research.

** We noticed. **

** Shut up, EJ. Anyway, research on what? You’ve kinda left us in the dark. **

The Mew said a name. Raqiya. And according to all the books of lore, that’s one of the other names for the dragon that sits atop this tower: Rayquaza.

** The Rayquaza? **

**Pfft. You don’t actually believe in Rayquaza, right? It’s a myth.**

Dude, after everything we’ve been through—Magic and curses and visions—do you still want to try to hide behind the whole “myths are unscientific” thing?

**No, well… it’s just.**

** It’s just that you’re chickenshit. **

** Say that to my face, EJ! **

Whoa! Guys! The last thing we need right now is to be fighting. Especially when all our problems are about to be solved.

** Solved? How? **

According to my research every 1000 years Rayquaza can perform a special ritual that can summon a wish-granting entity for one week.

**And your research just-so-happened to illuminate that today marks a thousand years since the last time this happened.**

This isn’t up for debate, Ir—

**The hell it isn’t! What if this is another dead end? What if none of this was real in the first place?**

**The little squirt’s being a dick as per usual, but I agree. Tommy, we all know what you want to wish for.**

It isn’t fair! Ari didn’t deserve to die like that!

**And you’re right! But… Tommy, what if this doesn’t go anywhere? What’ll we do then? You already abandoned poor Elizabeth and burned bridges with your family. Where will we go if this doesn’t work?**

_*You wipe your eyes. It feels like all you've been doing lately is cry. Now is the time for action, not tears! *_

Then… I-I don’t know. But we’ve come too far to stop here. Please. Just a little bit further.

_*Your partners give each other a sideways look before acquiescing. The three of you make your way up the tower climbing stairs, ducking through hallways, and admiring the wall paintings along the way. Finally, after what seemed like days, you end up at a door. The only thing to do is open it. *_

  
_*Light and strong winds assault you as your party exits the inside of the tower to a balcony. To the north you see another flight of stairs leading up to an altar where— *_

  
HOLY CRAP!

** Tommy, you don’t need to shout. **

BUT I WAS RIGHT! RAYQUAZA IS REAL! SUCK IT! SUCK! It!!!

** You don’t have to rub it in. **

** _YOU COULD ALSO STOP SHOUTING, MORTAL. I WAS TRYING TO GET SOME BEAUTY SLEEP._ **

Oh! Um… sorry? I was… um. I just wanted to ask you if you wouldn’t mind summoning Jirachi for me? Y’see, my friend Ari—

_**DONE.** _

—just… wait what?

** _IT IS DONE. THE WISHMAKER SHALL BE HERE IN A FEW SECONDS._ **

  
_*The skies around you go black. Shooting stars fall one by one from overhead. Ari would have liked this. Everyone you’ve lost up till now would have liked this sight._

_One of the shooting stars crashes to a spot right in front of Rayquaza’s altar. It grows and grows until it explodes showering the three of you with even more tiny stars in a golden light so bright that it has possibly stolen your ability to see any color other than gold from now on. *_

  
It is i. Jirachi the wishmaker. Who has called me forth?

_** JIRACHI, THERE’S NO NEED FOR FORMALITY. YOU KNOW I AM THE ONLY ONE WHO CAN SUMMON YOU. ** _

Well, yeah, but the pageantry is important for the human.

I think I just peed my pants.

See?

_*Jirachi floats down to you. *_

You have a wish for me, my dude?

_*You gulp. *_

I do. For the past… one of my best friends died, Jirachi. And ever since then our lives have been the worst. Can you do it? Can you bring Ari back to life?

_*Jirachi mulls this over for a minute. *_

Not exactly.

** Great. Now what are we gonna do? **

_**YOU WILL LET THE WISHMAKER FINISH THEIR THOUGHT.** _

Like, death and the dead are solely in Giratina’s wheelhouse. For all my power, even I know not to step too hard on another deity’s domain without their consent. Instead, I can give you the chance to stop your friend’s death and perhaps change your fate totally for, like, forever.

What do I have to do?

Just write “I want to keep Ari from dying” on one of my wish slips, and your wish will be granted.

_*A quill pen materializes from nowhere. You take hold of it and raise your hand to one of Jirachi’s wish slips. But before you can write you see those very words are already there. On all of the wish slips. *_

Aw snap. Tommy, it seems you already made this wish. Quite a few times...

What?

**_DON’T YOU REMEMBER YET, MORTAL?_ **

I-I don’t understand what’s happening. Guys?

_*You turn to face your partners: Irma the Jumpluff and EJ the Octillery. They’ve been by your side since almost the very beginning back on Route 101 and the Rusturf Tunnel and—_

_Wait… *_

This isn’t right.

**_HE SEEMS TO BE CATCHING ON._ **

As if! This is all just another jumbled set of signs and signifiers for this poor human to fail to dissect.

_*The world around you blinks out and is replaced by… you don’t know how to describe it fully. Distortions and glitch effects that you would see in an old video game or something._

_Ari—the frail Torchic—is standing beside you. *_

 Back to lecture me about jokes?

  **Not today of all days. But maybe you’ll pick something up from this convoluted mess.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> APRIL FOOLS!
> 
> (kinda, but not really)


	25. Their Eyes Were Watching Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> the actual fallout from chapter twenty-four.

_*The first thing you do after the others help you to your feet is return Eliza and Regina to their pokéballs. *_

**Tommy, are you—**

**He’s in zombie mode again, EJ.**

_*You shake your head no because you are very conscious and in control of your body this time. Since you are in control of your body you start walking back towards the daycare. It’s close by enough that you’re certain the other trainers on the route heard you screaming earlier. *_

**Where are you going?**

**Just follow him.**

_*When you get to the daycare center you enter the building and shuffle to the counter. Irwin doesn’t follow you inside. Ellen Jr. does. *_

  
**Hi there and welcome to—**

_*You place Eliza and Regina’s pokeballs on the counter. *_

**So you want us to look after your pokemon?**

_*You nod. *_

**Wait. No! you’re leaving them here?**

_*You nod again. *_

**Tommy, what the fuck? We need to—**

_*You pass the daycare lady a couple a few pokedollars and head back outside where Irwin is standing, cradling Pearl’s body. *_

**Irwin! He put Eliza and Regina in there and—and he won’t talk.**

We need to bury Pearl.

**Well, at least he’s talking now.**

**Great. Now he can answer me: what was that?**

**EJ—**

**Don’t call me that.** _*to you*_ **What. Was. That.**

_*Ellen Jr has you by the collar. Briefly you wonder what this looks like to the daycare man or the many trainers on Route 117 that have a clear sight of the daycare. No one is running over here, so maybe no one sees this. Except the daycare man. *_

It isn’t safe for them. So I decided—

**_You_ decided. _You!_ **

_*She drops you and Irwin steps in front of her. *_

**E- I mean, Ellen Jr. calm down!**

_*She does not. *_

**“We’re a team.” You said that. There’s scary shit running through all of our heads right now because of your psychic-curse bullshit and you want to send them away?**

They aren’t—

**That’s not the point! What, are you gonna get rid of us next because it “isn’t safe”?**

**Ellen Jr—**

**No! I want an answer.**

_*But you don’t have one. Not the one she wants at least. So you bow your head. Before you can’t see her face anymore you see her face twist into a disappointed scowl. She knocks Irwin out of her way and grabs your belt. *_

**Fine. So be it.**

_*And then she returns herself to her pokéball. The belt and pokéball falls into Irwin’s hands. He looks at you. *_

We need to bury Pearl.

**But, mate—**

We need to bury Pearl.

_*As you walk with Pearl in your arms and Irwin trailing behind the other trainers on Route 117 look at you. But they don’t stop you. They don’t seem surprised like the people in Rustboro were. There’s this surreptitious yet resigned awe in the way each trainer meets your eyes and looks away. It isn’t respect. It isn’t empathy. But it’s something. Just something that you can’t place._

_Finally, you come to a spot that makes sense to bury Pearl. *_

  
_*There are daisies sprouting from the earth here. In your vision twofold you see yourself burying others here. As you dig, the girl by the gates stares and prays. There is something off about her demeanor. Irwin puts his hand on your shoulder. *_

**Tommy, I understand why you left Eliza and Regina**

You do?

**Yeah, I do. You’re only thinking about their safety.**

I am.

**And they can’t fight at the same level EJ and me can.**

Yeah.

**But Ellen Jr. was right.**

_*Irwin takes hold of your cheeks and tilts your face to meet his. You see yourself reflected in his bloodshot eyes. *_

**We _are_ a team, _no matter what_. **

But what happens if one of you dies again? I can’t—I’m not—I don’t have claws or sharp teeth or poison stingers! There isn’t much I can do to protect any of you.

_*You see yourself crying in Irwin’s eyes, and your vision twofold multiples four hundred ninety-eight times. There are other Pokémon holding you like Irwin is now, telling you what he is in this moment. Most of the other yous shake off his hands._

_You do the same. *_

I can’t do this again! Not again, please…

_*Your hands cover your face in shame. This feels like weakness, admitting that you don’t want to go on. It feels as if your whole universe is at stake. Your pride on the line. A choked sob echoes around you, but it didn’t come from you. *_

**I can’t look at you right now**

_*And with that Irwin returns himself to his pokéball, leaving you completely alone. So you sit there in front of this grave for a moment. People pass you by and whisper._

_Eventually you curl up on the ground in the flowers._

_Night falls. The pressure from the gaze of random strangers watching you fades. Maybe you’ll fade away too under the weight of your despair. In your vision five hundred-fold you see a couple versions of you who stay here in this spot until their world’s fade into nothingness._

_That doesn’t seem like too bad of an option. *_

Tommy? Is that you?

  
_*Static. On the edges of your vision there are bright cracks in the sky. In everything. *_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> riddle me this: does the panopticon exist in the pokemon universe?


	26. The Bright Glowing Cracks in the Universe

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wally time!

  
Uh… this is my room, Tommy. Why don’t you wait here and I’ll… I’ll get you something to eat?

_*You blink. How did you end up in here? Sunlight is coming in from the windows behind you. It must be a new day. But the morning sun is not the only source of light._

_The bright cracks appear all over the room. In fact, there is one hovering a few inches in front of you. You wave your hand in front of the crack. You feel suction coming from it. Then you blink again and you’re sitting down on Wally’s chair. *_

Wanda: **Wally, is he…?**

I don’t know. He isn’t talking, Aunt Wanda.

Ricardo: **He's been here a whole day**

Uncle Ricardo, i-i-it's obvious something bad happened to Tommy and we have to—.

Ricardo: **Do you know who his parents are?**

_*Wally sighs. You hear his feet tapping the floor. Seconds pass. Despite the question having an easy answer you know Wally knows, he makes halfhearted confused sounds as if her were trying to deflect._

_Finally, his uncle Ricardo clears his throat. The floorboards creak. Ricardo has gotten closer to Wally._

_Wally squeaks.*_

Ricardo: ** _Do you know who his parents are?_**

Gym Leader Norman back in Petalburg City. B-b-but don’t you think we should find out what happened first?

_*There is a silence. *_

Ricardo: **It’s obvious what happened. He needs to go home.**

Wanda: **Ricardo…**

Ricardo: **Wanda, trust me. Tommy will be lucky to _walk away_ from this tragedy.**

_*Wanda gasps*_

What are you guys talking about?

Wanda: **Look, honey, just see if Tommy needs anything. We’re going to try and get in contact with Gym Leader Norman.**

_*When Wally reenters the room you have ended up in his bed. You do not know why. You do not know how. The cracks have multiplied. Wally walks through and around them as if they aren’t there. He passes you a sandwich. *_

Tommy, I just—gosh, I was going to ask if you were feeling better. Okay. But that’s kinda stupid of me? Look, just enjoy the sandwich and my aunt and uncle will help figure out what to—

But they already know what to do. What they want to do, at least.

Huh?

They’re gonna call my dad. And he’s gonna take me back to Littleroot Town.

_*Wally frowns. *_

B-but is that what you want?

What I want doesn’t matter.

You just told me not to call your dad though.

_*What? *_

What?

Don’t you remember? All you kept saying until we got here was “Don’t call him” and—well, the other thing doesn’t really matter.

I… don’t remember saying that.

_*Wally reaches through one of the glowing cracks to put his hand on your shoulder.*_

Tommy, what happened to you?

_*You look down at your hands. They’re covered in dried mud. *_

One of my Pokémon got killed in a battle with a wild Kadabra.

Wait, what?

Yeah…

But that never happens!

And yet.

_*A few teardrops hit your hands. And then before you can fully understand put the two and two together Wally has his arms wrapped around you._

_It's strange. wally is so much smaller than you, but the hug he gives is so big. In another world a different you doesn't hug wally back and his world goes dark. The different you fades into the cracks. You hug wally. He speaks to you with his face buried in your shoulder. *_

I can't imagine what you've been through!

This isn't the first time it's happened

What?

_*Wally pulls away and lifts your face so you’re meeting his eyes. They’re the same shade of green as his hair. Slowly you explain what happened to Uno and why during your fugue you told wally not to call your dad. Wally doesn’t let you go until you finish your story minus the part about your curse or the visions of the not-but-still-possible future or the bright, glowing cracks in reality an inch away from his head._

_You tell him that if you go back to Littleroot—which you have to now—you’ll release the rest of your team. None of them deserve the same fate as Uno and Pearl. They’ll all hate you for it. The way Ellen Jr. looked at you and how Irwin couldn’t confirms they already do. You’re just going to pull the trigger. *_

Hmmm.

Hmmm?

Yeah. Hmm.

Is that a good thing?

It's a hmmm thing, Tommy.

Lemme try again: why are you hmm-ing?

Oh! Sorry! um. it's just that this all seems so familiar? like with what happened to the old Petalburg gym leader's son.

_*You choke on a piece of sandwich. Your mother would have joked that this happened because you didn’t wash your hands before eating. *_

What?

Well... I don't remember too clearly, but two years ago Brendan went on his Pokémon journey and came back after all his Pokémon had been killed in the way to Rustboro City.

_*You blink. The bright cracks are less bright now. Wally nods as if he’s fully explained himself, but you don’t see the connection. *_

Other than the dead Pokémon, what's so similar?

Oh! Sorry, I buried the lede there again. Brendan thought he could talk to his Pokémon like you do

Wally, I _do_ talk to my Pokémon

You do?

Yeah, did you think I was pretending?

Well, yeah! Nobody can talk to Pokémon, like _actually_ talk to them.

Psychics can.

Telepathy isn’t talking.

Semantics.

So... are you psychic or something?

_*You remember how the Trick Master said he could talk to Pokémon because he was a sorcerer. You know you aren’t one, but… Visions of alternate futures notwithstanding, you don’t feel like a psychic. Not completely, anyway. *_

... Definitely or something. so what happened to Brendan?

He... well my parents said he got so depressed because he walked away from his Pokémon journey that his parents had to move. Your dad is the first full time gym leader in Petalburg City since then.

And is this story supposed to make me feel better?

No! I-I mean yes?

_*Wally takes a deep breath. *_

I just mean that when Brendan came home he shut himself away and didn’t talk to anybody. And then he was so depressed that his parent shad to move to help him get better. From what you told me about going home, you might end up just like Brendan. Especially if you send your team away.

But—

No. Just. Think about what I said, okay?

_*Wally gets up. *_

I’m going to convince my aunt and uncle to not call your dad yet. Rest up a little bit before you make a decision on what you want.

_*Five minutes after Wally leaves his room, you open the window facing eastern side of Verdanturf Town and climb out. *_

  
_*On the northern part of town is the Rusturf Tunnel. That’s where you originally found Ellen Jr. and that’s where you’re going to release her. Wally is full of shit. He means well, but he’s full of shit. She’ll be back with her family, and you’ll be back with yours. Everything will be better that way._

_You clutch your head. The light from the cracks is starting to give you a headache*_

  
**Hey, Mister! The tunnel is really scary, are you sure you want to go in there?**

I can handle it, but thanks, kid.

_*As you stare into the cave, the little girl starts to walk away. Before she's completely out of sight she stops and cocks her head to the side.*_

**But aren't you a kid too?**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Riddle me this: what happened the last time Tommy went in this cave?


	27. The Cave (redux) pt1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I guess there's really no appeasing the ghost of Joseph Campbell's thing for caves

_*You stand in front of the entrance to the Rusturf Tunnel. The little girl from before is still staring at you. It feels like that’s all anybody’s doing lately. You shake the paranoia off and make your way into the cave._

_Unlike the side near Rustboro City, the rocks and boulders are jagged and rough. You figure there’s been more development over there to clear an easy path through._ _The bright cracks provide enough light to make you conclude that they have to be real on some level._

_After a few hours of ducking dangerously low hanging stalactites and shimmying around weird shaped stalagmites you come upon a clearing of sorts. You figure this is as good a spot as any to let Ellen Jr. out of her pokéball._

_She quickly surveys the area, spinning around. When Ellen Jr. finally stops, she has her back to you. *_

**You’re a coward.**

Excuse me?

**A coward and a _liar_.**

That isn’t fair.

_*Ellen Jr. whirls on you. *_

** Who gives a damn about “fair,” Tommy? **

I do! And… won’t you be happier with your real family again?

**…**

_*Ellen Jr. glares at you. *_

**Follow me.**

Huh?

**Since "Pearl" dying has clearly scrambled your brain—**

Hey!

**What? She’s dead. It’s not like she can hear me.**

Shut up!

**Anyways. Since your scrambled brain thinks I’d be better off with my “family” you might as well come meet them.**

_*Ellen Jr. starts walking forward. Every few steps she vanishes and reappears five feet ahead. You follow her. And the thing is, your walk is mostly silent. Every now and again Ellen Jr. murmurs something to herself before taking you along a sudden turn or hidden alcove. *_

How much further do we have to go?

**You aren’t getting tired, are you?**

Well, yeah. It’s probably night by now.

**Fine. Take a seat.**

_*You plop down on the ground. *_

So…

**No.**

Huh?

**I’m not Irwin. We aren’t having small talk.**

You and I small talk all the time!

**No, we don’t.**

Yes, we do.

**No, we don’t.**

Yes, we—okay what would you rather us talk about?

_*Ellen Jr. places a claw against her chest in a show of faux surprise. *_

**What? Tommy wants to know what I want? Amazing! Spectacular! Never been—**

You’re being difficult for no reason.

**I’m being difficult for a very clear reason: you’re breaking us up _just because_!**

Because it isn’t safe anymore!

**That’s bullshit and you know it.**

It _isn’t_!

_*Ellen Jr. puts her claw through a wall and yanks it back out. Instead of shattering the wall there is a perfectly made hole. *_

**I can fight off any and everything that comes our way.**

Fine, _you_ can. But what about Irwin, who—may I remind you—May tried to kill two days ago? Or Regina? Or Eliza?

**We could—**

And what about Pearl?

_*You stand up for this and make sure you’re all the way into Ellen Jr’s personal space for this next bit. The crown that has been hovering above Ellen Jr’s head reappears and glows. It shines brighter than the cracks, but you tear your eyes away to focus on Ellen Jr’s scowling face. *_

So, you’re hypervigilant. Hooray for _you_! But what happens when you can’t be everywhere? What happens when you’re too late? What happens when _you_ die?

**_When?_ **

_*Ellen Jr. steps two inches into your personal space. You know it’s supposed to be intimidating, but you hold your ground the best you can. Of course, that doesn’t stop your voice from wavering when you finally speak again. *_

When.

**You sound pretty sure that I’m going to die.**

Everybody dies, Ellen Jr.

_*That sounds defensive and mean even though you were aiming for aloof. *_

**Yeah, of natural causes mostly. What makes you so sure that my number’s up?**

You just have to trust me!

**I’m not going to—**

You can’t promise that! And you’re right, maybe I could just take you back to Littleroot Town with me, but who knows if you’ll even survive the journey?

_*Your sight goes hazy through a crack floating right by Ellen Jr’s face._

_A wide hall stretches into eternity. Kneeling on the red carpet at your feet is Ari wearing a crown. And then he becomes Ellen Jr. And then he’s Ari again. With each shift between them the crown grows and grows until it crushes them flat.*_

T h e c r o w n h a n g s h e a v y a n d i t w o n ’ t s a v e y o u.

**…**

…

**… What?**

What, what?

**“The crown hangs heavy and it won’t save you” what does that even mean?**

_*Shit. You said that out loud. There’s no hiding or denying it anymore. You exhale. *_

I’ve been having these weird dreams lately.

**So this is a visions thing?**

No! At least… I don’t think so?

_*In what little you remember of your dreams you are surrounded by five hundred Pokémon wearing identical crowns. You know they are all dead. A Torchic, Combusken, and Blaziken are trying to tell you something, but you can’t understand them._

_Since this is all so weird you try to explain this to Ellen Jr. in a way that doesn’t make it sound like psychic vision nonsense. *_

I think dead Aris from other timelines are trying to tell me something.

**Who is Ari?**

My starter in one hundred twelve of the possibly five hundred alternate futures my visions see into.

**Since when do you see into five hundred—**

It’s a guess based on the dreams.

_*You brace yourself for Ellen Jr. to start yelling at you. But she doesn’t. *_

**How long have you been having these dreams?**

Ever since we left the Trick House.

 _*Sighs*_ **You should’ve told us.**

Huh?

**Look, I get that anytime someone starts to say something important lately they get interrupted, but—**

_*It’s like clockwork. Before Ellen Jr. can get even one more syllable out a red flash streaks out between the two of you. The Rock wall explodes. *_

**Tommy, run!**

What’s happening now?

**Something bad!**

I thought we told you to _never show your face_ around here again.

**Scratch that, something _sniveling_.**

_*The dust clears. *_

_*Between you and Ellen Jr. is another Scizor. He looks skinnier than her. And his armor isn’t as shiny. Ellen Jr. cracks her neck and gets into a fighting stance. *_

**Wow, Iliya. They made _you_ sentry?**

Yeah, and I’m gonna give you until the count of _five_ to get out of here. 5…

_*Ellen Jr. sighs and drops her stance. She pushes past the other Scizor—Iliya?—and thumbs his claw over his shoulder. *_

**Tommy, meet my younger brother, Iliya. Iliya, this is Tommy.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Riddle me this: why _does_ every important conversation get interrupted?


	28. Oh, Brother (Cave Redux pt2)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> didn't your mother tell you backstories were the leading cause of drama?
> 
> right after random death, that is.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, wow. I've been writing Walk Away for a year now. 
> 
> *confetti rains down from the screen*

****  
Tommy, meet my younger brother, Iliya. Iliya, this is Tommy.

4…

EJ, why is your brother counting down?

**He thinks he can fight me to the death to keep me banished from the hive.**

I can fight you to the death!

**Iliya, you couldn’t fight your way out of paper bag.**

3…

But why?

**Because he’s weak?**

2…

Ellen Jr! Don’t antagonize him!

_*She turns you around and starts pushing you back towards the exit by the shoulders. *_

**Look, see? I’m not even welcome here.**

But why?

**Who knows?**

You know! You know exactly why the elders banished you and what is to happen if you ever return!

_*Ellen Jr. laughs. And the thing is, you feel like it’s supposed to echo through the cave with bravado, but it actually sounds hoarse and sad. Iliya doesn’t seem to notice. *_

**We’re leaving anyway. Keep up the mediocrity, loser.**

_*You hear Iliya zooming in before you feel Ellen Jr. throwing you out of the way. It’s like a pop and a whistle and a whoosh. You turn over to see, but all you can make out are two red blurs. Rocks and rubble fall from everywhere. After a few seconds the blurs regain their defined forms and you see Ellen Jr. pinning Iliya on the ground. *_

**Are you done, Iliya?**

Do it!

**Do what?**

Kill me. Just do it already!

She’s not going to kill you, dude.

Of course she is! That’s what my sister does. _Kills her family members_.

Say whaaaaa?

_*Ellen Jr’s shoulders sag a bit. *_

EJ, what is he talking about?

**I’m going to let you go, and we’re going to leave. Tell Mother I said—**

Did she not tell you? Didn’t she tell you what happened to Ellen Sr?

Your grandmother?

**Shut up!**

_*You look at Ellen Jr. and then at Iliya. She picks him up by the throat. For a second you think she might clamp down, strangling him. Ellen Jr. tightens her grip. Iliya wheezes a cackle. You look on*_

EJ, let’s just get out of here.

…

**…**

…

**Fine. No family reunion for me.**

_*She tosses Iliya back into a wall and vanishes, leaving you alone with Iliya. He rests against the wall coughing, trying to breathe, while you stand there awkwardly._

_“Do I help him?” you wonder. “Do I say a sassy one liner and leave?”_

_You go with the latter. The sooner you’re out the faster you can catch up with Ell— *_

She’s a monster, you know.

Excuse me?

My sister is a monster. I just wanted to make sure you knew that. There’s no reason someone like you should get wrapped up in her trouble.

Someone like me?

You clearly understand exactly what I’m saying. 

Yeah?

My sister could talk _you_ into a lot of trouble. It’d be for the best to run while you still have the chance.

Mmkay.

_*You find yourself stepping three inches into Iliya’s personal space. For a second you wonder if he can tell you’re imitating his sister right now. Can he feel her arrogance rolling off your posture? *_

You obviously have some baggage with Ellen Jr. And that’s okay. But if there’s any lesson that needs to be learned by anybody here today, it’s that you’re a double fucking idiot for provoking her.

I wasn’t—

_*You take hold of Iliya’s chin, forcing him to look you in the eye. *_

Be smarter, or we’ll be back. And next time? I won’t suggest that we leave.

*******

__  
*You finally catch up with Ellen Jr. again near where you had entered the tunnel. You can hardly see her through all the cracks in reality making your surroundings appear like static on an old TV. She’s punching a wall, but without any of the force she usually puts behind her blows. *

Hey.

**So.**

Well, now I think I get why releasing you here would have been a terrible idea.

**Oh. _Now_ you do.**

I mean, I was wrong for not telling you guys about the crown dreams—and wait second! We need to talk about you!

_*Beat. *_

**What about me?**

EJ.

**Tommy.**

I know you don’t like backstory stuff, but… what just happened back there?

**Haven’t you figured it out yet?**

Yes? No? Look, your brother made it seem like you killed your grandmother—

**I did.**

—and… wait what?

**I killed her.**

_*Beat. *_

Um…

**What? Are you _surprised_? That I, of all people, killed someone in cold blood? **

_*You aren't. Not really. Back when Ellen Jr. first joined your party she had tried to go for the kill with Uno. And then again with Mewtwo. Both times she was fairly nonchalant about her aims._

 _In a flash Ellen Jr. is in your face, one of her claws at your throat. *_

Ellen Jr—

**You’ve seen how I have no compunctions about killing.**

Ellen Jr—

**So, _what_ is so surprising, Tommy?**

EJ, you’re scaring me!

_*She takes a step back. *_

**Sorry.**

What happened?

**I told you.**

_No_ , you shouted about how I should have read between the lines. What is the truth?

_*Ellen Jr. leans against the wall she had been lightly pummeling. She looks a little bit like her brother right now. One of the cracks in reality bisects her perfectly in half. *_

**About three years ago the humans started excavating in our cave to make the tunnel. I think that was the first time the elders were happy to have someone like me around.**

Someone like you?

 **Someone so “angry.” Like, you think I’m bad now?** _*Laughs*_ **Back then I was a terror times a thousand. Girls like me have to be angry or else everyone walks all over them. But the elders and the rest of the hive hated that. But at the end of the day that anger is why the elders chose _me_ to be a sentry. My whole job was to scare away anyone who entered our territory. Pokémon _and_ Humans. By any means necessary. **

_*You gulp, remembering the ferocity and precision of her attacks when you first met. *_

So, that meant killing?

**No shit, Sherlock.**

Okay, I deserved that. So… what happened next?

_*Ellen Jr opens her mouth. Then she closes it again. *_

**The thing about killing is that you’ve gotta find ways to deal with it. Some of the other sentries told themselves it was a necessary good. That it was okay because they had to do it to protect the hive.**

What’d you tell yourself?

**That I was doing it because I liked it. I guess I buried my own grave bragging to the hive about how much I loved killing humans even though I think I only got, maybe, one. I bragged about how methodical I was. I bragged about how efficient I was. I bragged, bragged, bragged.**

_*Ellen Jr. turns away from you. She punches the wall to punctuate her words. *_

**My grandmother didn’t like that much. Said, “that kind of braggadocio says more about you than your actual deeds.” We got into this big knockdown, drag-out fight one day before I was supposed to go on sentry duty and I killed her.**

_*And then she’s sobbing. You start to move to console her, but Ellen Jr. waves you off. She sits on the ground. You join her. *_

Why do I feel like there’s something missing here?

**It was an accident.**

Oh! But Iliya didn’t sound like he thought it was an accident?

**Because it was too _convenient_ to the hive. I dug my own hole the way I bragged about how easy killing was. When everyone heard what I had done after the fight, it was like the perfect motive.**

And they kicked you out?

**Not at first. There was _some_ doubt. Some. And for that I lost my post as a sentry, but I was to stay within the hive at all times. And people were always talking about what I did. Calling me a monster. Whispering. It was all I could do to hold my head up while I was trying—and failing—to process what had happened. But, of fucking course, that made me look like a remorseless monster. So, they kicked me out.**

_*Ellen Jr. hugs her knees closer to her chest. You reach out to—you don’t really know what. Hug? Console? Either way your hand lands on Ellen Jr’s shoulder. *_

EJ, I—

**No.**

What?

**No.**

No, what?

**This is why I didn’t want to do backstory stuff. I hate the way you’re looking at me right now.**

Well, sorry, but you’re my friend and that—that sucks!

**It is what it is. Now back to you.**

Back to me?

_*Everything about Ellen Jr. in this moment is begging you to let her change the subject. Her posture, her eyes, her tone of voice. As her friend you’re torn, but you decide to let her dictate the terms of what she shares with you._

 _The cracks in reality flicker and for a moment the crown reappears floating over Ellen Jr's head. *_

Back to me it is, EJ


	29. Putting 2 and 2 2gether (The Cave Redux pt3)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tommy finally figures out something important about the curse

_*You pass Ellen Jr. a berry. All this emotional stuff is hungry work, you decide. *_

**Tommy, what are you going to do next?**

Huh?

**We just had that stupid vision quest with the Trick Master, and you learned a lesson. And then the Shellder—**

Pearl—

**_The Shellder_ dies and you’re ready to pack it all up and dump us at the side of the road! Why?**

Pearl was a member of this team, Ellen Jr.

**For, like three seconds! And yet here you are: holding vigil as if she were Uno!**

_*Realization is like glass shattering. Like shackles falling away. Like an unexpected loud sound from behind. You jump up to your feet. The thought is coming to you, piece by piece. *_

Say that again.

**Say what again?**

The thing about holding vigil.

**Um… you’re holding vigil for Pearl as if she were Uno.**

And that doesn’t make sense?

**No?**

Because she was one of us for less than fifteen minutes?

**Tommy, are you going somewhere with this?**

Something important! I think I’ve just figured something out about the curse.

**The curse? Now? The curse is why—**

Wait. We need Irwin for this.

_*You fiddle with the pokeballs on your belt. Irwin rematerializes a foot or so away. He looks surprised to see you with Ellen Jr. Irwin turns his back on you. *_

Irwin, we need to talk. It’s about the curse and—

_*He doesn’t respond. Irwin doesn’t even move to acknowledge that he’s heard you. Oh. Right. You almost forgot. The only thing to do is sit by him and have a feelings jam. *_

So.

**So.**

_*Ellen Jr. coughs. Then she elbows you. *_

I wanna apologize.

**Oh, really?**

Yeah. Really.

**Go ahead.**

Irwin, I’m—

**Before you start, I’d just like to know if this is going to be a recurring thing, mate.**

What?

**Look, I’m not mad that you put Regina and Eliza in the daycare—I get that. I’ve had time to run the numbers. If those two don’t get some intense training they won’t be able to just walk around outside of their pokéballs as we run into stronger wild Pokémon.**

Then… what’s the problem?

_*Irwin opens his mouth to speak and then closes it. He turns away from you in a huff. *_

**This— I’m tired. Tommy, all this magic has me out of my comfort zone. And every other day it seems magic changes our status quo. Apparently, it’s even changing me? So. I-I-I don’t even know what I want here. What are we gonna do, Tommy?**

_*And it’s like a reflex. Your arms wrap around Irwin. Almost a month ago Irwin gave you a cooldown hug outside the Rustboro City gym and, in that moment, you wondered—worried even—if you’d ever be able to repay the gesture._

_As Irwin relaxes in your embrace you realize you might not. Not because the first hug was a gesture of unparalleled kindness, but because looking at moments like these as things to pay and repay is immature. *_

Irwin, I can’t promise things aren’t gonna get weirder. I can’t promise you that there isn’t some other weird thing that the curse will do to us all next. Maybe tomorrow my hands will turn into candy or everyone around us will think you’re human. What I can promise you is that we’re going to climb that Stupid mountain and force someone to break this curse. Then, we’re going home. One way or another.

**No matter what?**

_*Your vision goes five hundred-fold. Kind of. The other yous have their eyes closed. All around you hear one question, asked with a sneer._

_“So are you going to Walk Away?” a hundred thousand million billion voices demand. *_

I’m not going to Walk Away.

_*And just like that the cracks in the world finally vanish in full. You breathe a sigh of relief. *_

**So what now? We getting the band back together?**

Maybe. At the very least I need to have an honest conversation with them. Give Eliza and Regina the choice if they want to keep travelling with us.

**Maybe they’ll change their minds if they hear about the curse. Which you had a dramatic realization about. A couple minutes ago.**

Oh! Right! The curse!

**What about it, mate?**

*You take a deep breath. *

I think the curse warps people’s minds.

**What?**

**What?**

Think about it: May’s pokemon. The gym leader’s pokemon. Wally and his Feebas. All of them recognized how things were supposed to be, but whenever I pointed out that they had the wrong pokemon they all responded—

**“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”**

Or something to that effect.

**Tommy, that doesn’t sound like a curse. That sound like… some kind of distortion.**

_*Something about that word, distortion, makes your stomach turn. *_

It is a curse if we’ve been cursed to notice the differences.

**That sounds more like a blessing.**

Okay, so I haven’t got this completely worked out, but I just know it’s all connected and I can prove it.

**How?**

_*You look around. In the distance you see a Sunflora with a few baby Sunkern hopping behind it. *_

Irwin, that’s a Sunflora.

**And?**

Sunflora don’t live in caves.

**Tommy, you said you were gonna prove—**

Don’t you think it’s _weird_?

_*Irwin’s eyes go blank and he cocks his head to the side. *_

**I don’t know what you’re talking about, mate.**

See!

**See, what?**

Irwin… you just—

**You just blanked out and did the “I don’t know what you’re talking about” thing that everyone else has!**

**I-I did?**

**You did.**

The curse makes Irwin unable to accept the possibility that there’s something weird going on with the local wild pokemon.

**So what does it do to you?**

_*You think back to how you blanked out after Uno died. You think back to what happened in Slateport City. You think about all the visions you’ve had that have been simultaneously guiding you and warning you away from everything. *_

I… think it makes me more willing to give up?

**To “Walk Away”**

Huh?

**Don’t tell me you haven’t noticed that yet.**

I mean, I have, but I just thought it was a weird Hoenn thing?

**At this point—with all the magic and curses and psychic visions—I don’t think we can really take anything for granted anymore if we’re gonna keep moving forward.**

**Is that what we’re doing? Moving forward?**

_*You stare at your feet. *_

I mean, if that’s what you guys want to do.

 _*Irwin puts his hand (claw?) on your shoulder and begins to glow._ *

**I’m in.**

HOLY FUCKING SHIT

_*Ellen Jr. laughs, punching Irwin in his stomach, which just-so-happens to be where his shoulders used to be. The two of you shrug sheepishly. Evolving made Irwin grow four feet, so you and Ellen Jr. are just going to have to get used to this new thing. *_

**You were waiting for a dramatic moment to do that weren't you?**

**No-whoa, is that my voice?**

HOLY FUCKING SHIT!

_*Irwin feels his face and arms before staring at his hands (claws?). *_

**I guess this means I can't fit in your backpack anymore, mate.**

HOLY FUCKING SHIT!

**Anyways... If this drama queen is still in, then so am I.**

_*You clear your throat. Now it's your turn to be dramatic. *_

Then let’s get the band back together!


	30. Interlude Four: Apology Tour

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In retrospect, Tommy sure does apologize a lot.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you need transcripts of the text message conversation because they're hard to read in this format, DM me

  
_*It’s been a day since you left the cave._

_The three of you took some time to train and formulate a plan for your next few steps. That mostly meant watching anime and searching online for information on the next two gym leaders: Wattson and Flannery._

_Electric and Fire type gyms respectively, but you have a feeling you’ll be getting wild card Pokémon again, anyway. *_

  
**So, why are we here, Tommy?**

Let’s call this part of my apology tour.

_*You knock on the door and Wally’s aunt answers the door. She gives the three of you the once over and invites you inside. *_

Is Wally home? I just want to say I’m sorry for leaving like that.

**Actually, he left. Said something about looking for you—**

_*Your sight clouds over and a vision plays out in front of you *_

Well, that’s okay. I guess I’ll just text him.

_*You turn to leave, but Wally’s Aunt catches you by the arm. It’s clear she wants to say something, but before you can ask she lets you go. *_

**Good luck.**

***

     

_*You promise to keep Wally posted on your quest to figure out more about the curse and hopefully break it. In all honesty, you’re a bit surprised by how well he took the explanation of a curse._

_And, also, a bit surprised by the warm feeling in your chest. *_

***

**Everything peachy keen with Wally?**

Yup, and now on to our next stop: Eliza and Regina.

_*The three of you make your way through Route 117. Most of the people who were staring at you during Pearl’s burial are still here. Most of them ignore your presence—you suspect it’s because you have a seven foot tall giant lizard at your side._

_You find yourself lingering near the spot Pearl got killed. At first you feel guilt and this wave of despair until a flash of pink moves behind the tall grass. Mew is still watching you and you don’t know what to make of— *_

  
Yeah… Um. I’m here to pick them up?

**Of course!**

_*The old man wanders into the yard and calls for Regina and Eliza. He hands you their pokeballs. You try to catch a glimpse of Mew again and signal for Ellen Jr. to do a quick sweep of the tall grass. *_

**That’ll be $1000 pokedollars.**

Sure. Regina and Eliza were okay, right?

**Uh…**

_*Eliza strides forward with Eliza riding on her back. They both are wearing crowns made of wildflowers. Regina is waving to a crowd of pokemon back beyond the fence. *_

What happened?

_ Ah, Sir Tommy! Welcome to the New Halidom of Valenca! _

**Imperialism.**

_ Right, we’re still workshopping the name, but as this land’s new queen we must be sure not to repeat the mistakes of the old queendom including the unsavory side effects of colonialism. _

Uh, what?

**I think she’s saying she’s queen of something again?**

**Irwin… big.**

**I evolved.**

**Royal consort.**

**Congratulations!**

_*You pay the man and head back into Mauville City. The five of you take the long way back so you can fill Eliza and Regina in on what happened and the curse revelations. Regina is more surprised than you thought she would be because, apparently, you never explicitly told her about the curse. *_

**I thought Eliza told her!**

Irwin!

**Don’t look at me, I thought Ellen Jr. mentioned it.**

**… Fuck all of you.**

_*Once everything calms down, Regina explained that she had become queen of the Daycare because she fulfilled an ancient prophecy and pulled a sword out of a tree. *_

_ It really is not that interesting.  _

**Boring, really.**

And the two of you got… married?

_*Beat*_

_ Well, a queen does need someone to help rule… _

**_Stop_.**

_ What is the plan, Sir Tommy? _

Gym challenge our way to Mt. Pyre, break the curse, and catch a ship in Lilycove City back to Johto. You in?

**For now.**

_ At some point in this journey we must return to the Halidom. The people expect great things from their queen and royal consort. We told them we were scouting the lands for new citizens. _

Deal, I guess?

**Aaaaaand now that, that’s done with: let’s get to business:**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [I'm going to take this chance to plug this fic's supplementary tumblr](http://emeraldnuzlockecurse.tumblr.com/)


	31. Interlude Five: The View from Olivine City

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ... it's always sunny, I hear

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's been a while since I've updated, so I figured it would be the best to wade back in with another interlude chapter starring the unsung hero: Tommy's grandpa!

** Olivine City, August. **

The first thing Marcus Turner does on August 1st is call his grandson Tommy. Marcus figures Tommy could use a call considering that it’s his birthday and (if his math on time zones are right) he probably just arrived in Hoenn.

“Tell Tommy I’ll call later,” Satsuki, his wife, murmurs as he gets out of bed.

Marcus dials the number Caroline gave him. Tommy still doesn’t have a PokéGear, so he knows he’ll have to call his daughter first. He makes a note to convince her to get Tommy the Hoenn equivalent soon. There is a beep on the other side of the line.

“Hey, hon, can I—”

“I’m sorry the number you have dialed is busy. Please hang up later and call again later,” a mechanical voice says.

Marcus sighs. Knowing Caroline, she probably hasn’t activated her phone yet. He hangs up and decides to try again later.

Marcus calls eight more times and gets the same result

** Olivine City, September **

There has been no contact with the Hoenn region for a month. No phone calls, no internet, no nothing. A region-wide panic broke out a couple days after Marcus realized he wasn’t getting through to Caroline because something had to be wrong. He spent most of his month getting back in contact with his police and government colleagues. None of them had anything conclusive to say.

One evening Marcus comes home to see Satsuki praying at the small shrine in their living room. She’s dangling a crystal pendulum over a map of the Hoenn region while staring into a bowl. Marcus knew when he married Satsuki that she practiced the Johtoan folk religion on and off, but she never really exhibited any interest in the more occult side outside of her traditional dances on the high holidays.

“I don’t get it,” she says a couple minutes after Marcus sits down next to her.

“Get what?”

Satsuki sighs, “The scrying spell—”

Marcus sighs. He can’t stop himself

“Did you just say _spell_?” he asks even though he knows the answer.

“Marcus, this is not the time,” Satsuki says. “I know you don’t believe but…”

Satsuki trails off. They met back in Ecruteak City when Satsuki was still a traditional folk dancer and he was a criminal justice student at the university. The other students from outside of Ecruteak called the traditional dancers the Kimono Girls. Though Marcus was born and raised, he didn’t really subscribe to the Johtoan folk religion. But the pretty dancer he had a crush on did, so he did his best to read up on it before he talked to her. He was still skeptical back then, but he was more curious about why she believed than he was passionate about debunking the hocus pocus. Those first conversations were what led to their first date which led to their marriage which led to—

Marcus clears his throat, deciding to take a cue from his younger self.

“I’ll bite,” he says. “What’s wrong?”

“You’ll bite?” Satsuki says, elbowing him.

“Come on, you said, ‘I know you don’t believe but’” Marcus says. “And this is the part where I say, ‘But what?’”

Satsuki pauses.

“Look into the bowl, Marcus,” she says.

Marcus peers over her shoulder and sees an opaque white liquid sitting in the bowl.

“I’m not sure why you’re trying to ‘scry’ with a bowl of milk,” he says.

Satsuki holds up a cup and pours the milk into it. Almost immediately as Satsuki pours the milk transforms into crystal clear water.

“What the hell?!?!?”

“I know.”

“No, how did you do that?!?!?”

Satsuki sighs. she gets up and fills the bowl with water again. When she sits down the bowl is still filled with water.

“To scry I’m supposed to dangle the crystal over a point on a map and then focus on who I’m looking for,” she says as she demonstrates. “when I try to focus on Caroline or Norman or Tommy…”

The water turns into milk.

In his years as a detective in Olivine City, Marcus Turner saw many strange things, but he was able to rationalize them all. In a world where Pokémon can levitate cars or punch through mountains, everything has a concrete explanation. Even if he doesn’t completely get this one, he can figure something out.

“What does that mean?”

Satsuki shakes her head, “I don’t know… it’s like they’re there, but not there.”

** Ilex Forest, October **

Here are the facts as Marcus Turner understands them while he hikes behind his wife:

Worldwide Panic has reached its zenith. The global economy has slowed down to a near standstill without Hoenn’s imports and exports. All rescue efforts sent in the direction of Hoenn get report finding nothing where it should be. Hoenn has all but disappeared without a trace and still no one knows why. Near the end of September candlelit vigils filled the streets of every region, mourning the loss of every life from Littleroot Town to Sootopolis City.

Satsuki maintains, however, that no one is dead which is why they are hiking through the Ilex Forest. According to Satsuki, folk religion practicioners all over the world have been attempting to summon their Poké-gods.

“But there are only three who would be any actual help,” she explains for the fifth time. “There’s Xerneas of Kalos, the god of life, but it hasn’t been seen for 3000 years. There’s Dialga, a god of time, but it was _sealed_ away.”

Marcus can kind of tell where she’s going with this. Unlike most folk relgions where the pokemon at the top are legends cloaked in hearsay, most of the supposed Johtoan Poké-gods are regularly sighted. The only other place Marcus knows of with gods like that are the Tapu of Alola. They could help too, but their power is rooted firmly in their lands and nowhere else.

“And we’re going to be Celebi because…?”

Satsuki sighs, “The forest guardian also controls time.”

The Ilex Forest supposedly grew thanks to the power of Celebi. Despite there being records showing the forest is hundreds of years old, none of the trees are older than one year. There was a big hullabaloo when a scientific survey revealed the trees has no rings revealing their age inside.

“So, let’s say we get Celebi to help us,” Marcus says. “What will time powers do?”

“We could send a message to the people of Hoenn!” Satsuki shouts. “We could undo this mess! We could get our daughter back!” she pauses, with her hand on a nearby tree. “All we need is for Celebi to turn back the clock.”

Marcus puts a hand on the small of Satsuki’s back, “I’m sorry. I know, I know… it’s just what if this doesn—”

“No.”

“But—”

“No,” she says. “This. Will. Work.”

They continue hiking in silence. A few minutes later a small house appears from below a bush. Satsuki immediately gets to work, preparing the offering and candles. Marcus just stands there awkwardly.

“Forest Guardian,” she begins. “We come to you with a request.”

A gale blows through the treetops.

“Is that a good thing?”

“Quiet,” Satsuki hisses. “Hear our plea and reverse time so we may save Hoenn from whatever danger befell it!”

The gale stops. A piece of paper falls from nowhere and Marcus catches it. After giving it a quick read, Marcus yelps.

“What does it say?” Satsuki shouts.

Marcus hands her the slip of paper which reads, “That is outside my jurisdiction. What Tommy has broken, _Tommy_ must fix.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Riddle me this: what did Tommy do _now_?


	32. Versus Wattson

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gym time

Aaaaaand now that, that’s done with: let’s get to business:

_*You look at the gym in front of you and your sight goes twofold._

_In another life you walked into this gym with an Ari who almost died at the paws of Wattson’s Manectric. If he hadn’t evolved into Blaziken at the last second, you would have lost him here. *_

Well, according to my most recent vision, Wattson is _supposed_ to have electric types.

**I’m the only one here resistant to that.**

True, but if this is going to be like the other gym battles, we don’t know what he’ll actually have.

**So, Ellen Jr. takes point with me on backup?**

Pretty much.

_ What do we do, Sir Tommy? _

**Cheerleaders.**

Unless you’re itching for a fight?

**Not today.**

_ But we—I—shall observe to learn more about battling. _

**Then, watch and learn.**

_*Ellen Jr. kicks the door in. Irwin blows bubbles to create an almost fog of bubbles. You take a deep breath, because the three of you practiced this. If you’re going to deal with this gym leader nonsense, you might as well get a little bit theatrical with it. *_

My name is Tommy Marple of Olivine City and I’m here to take down the gym leader!

_*Beat*_

**Um. Well, Wattson specializes in electric types and to get to him you’ll have to unlock these electric gates.**

Thank you, Mr. Gym Aide.

**Actually, my name’s Ha—**

_*The five of you ignore the gym aide and get started making your way through the gym. At point where you need to unlock a gate there’s a gym trainer boasting about shocking you with electric power. None of them use any electric types, so you let Irwin take them out with his newfound Feraligatr strength. Finally, you make it to the final gate._

_Standing before you is an old man. He’s only a little bit taller than you which is saying a lot considering that you’re only eleven. Your sight goes fuzzy for a second and all you can see is static. *_

Be on your guard, guys.

**Hi there! My name is Wattson, but I guess you already knew that?**

**Yup, and he’s here to kick ass and take names. Starting with yours.**

EJ, he can’t understand you.

**Did your Pokémon say something?**

Basically, that I’m here to win the badge.

**Were those her exact words?**

**Fuck, no. Tell this old man he’s weak as fuck, Tommy. Tell him that his ass is grass. Tell him in those exact words!**

EJ, I think you’re getting a little too into the trash talking.

_*Wattson laughs and you see static again. *_

**If it’s a battle you want young man…**

_*Wattson reaches for a pokéball on his belt. You signal for Ellen Jr to take her place on the battlefield. *_

That doesn’t look like an electric type.

**I don’t kno—**

Yeah, yeah, you don’t know what I’m talking about.

**Clamperl, AA into 6V!**

Huh?

_*Clamperl closes its shell and launches itself into Ellen Jr. She’s able to dodge, but the Clamperl changes direction midair and follows her, is if it could track her mid-flash step. *_

**9V, Clamperl!**

EJ, get out of there!

_*The Clamperl opens its shell a crack and shoots out an ice beam. It hits. Ice type moves aren’t supposed to be very effective against steel types, but this attack does a lot of damage. Ellen Jr’s chest is encased in a block of ice. Her breathing is heavy. *_

EJ, do you need to switch out?

**Fuck… no.**

_*She gets into a fighting stance. *_

**Tommy, while I think it is admirable you seem to be listening to your Pokémon, I will point out that one more ice beam and she’s down for the count.**

**He’s right, mate.** _*To Ellen Jr. *_ **You’re gonna need a OHKO or else I’m tagging in!**

**The… fuck you are.**

_*Ellen Jr. leaps and goes invisible. Through your peripheral vision you occasionally see flashes of red here and there. Wattson only laughs and tells his Clamperl to start charging up another ice beam attack. Even though your sight starts showing you this exact same scenario with a Voltorb fighting a Pokémon you don’t have—a Nuzleaf named… Lisa?—you aren’t worried. You spent yesterday practicing this strategy with Ellen Jr. and Irwin._

_Just as the Clamperl is ready to fire, Ellen Jr. reappears. And Ellen Jr. reappears. And Ellen Jr. reappears. Copies and doppelgangers fill the battlefield. You lose count after the thirty-second materializes._

_The swarm of Ellen Jr. surrounds the Clamperl on all sides.*_

**Double team, my boy? You’ll need something better than that to get the better of Clamperl.**

_*Clamperl fires the ice beam, arcing it through the air and hitting each of the doppelgangers individually. Once hit, the after images disperse and reappear. *_

You’re right, Wattson. Double team _isn’t_ enough. It’s not even an offensive move.

_*You whistle and all the Ellen Jr’s that have already been hit shift into their fighting stance again. *_

Until now that is: EJ, use 64 steel wings!

64 steel win—

_*All of the doppelgangers lunge at the Clamperl one at a time and strike before it can fire another ice beam. Each of the strikes send the Clamperl into the air until all the doppelgangers vanish leaving the original copy, posing at the center of the battlefield with one claw in the air. *_

**Wh—**

**She was moving fast enough that she was able to be all of her afterimages at once or not at all, keep up.**

Irwin!

**He’s right. Maybe we should keep picking up strategies from your “anime”**

**You just wanna keep watching Naruto.**

: 

Anyways...

**Send out your next Pokémon.**

**Hoohoohoo, this just might be an interesting battle after all!**

_*Wattson tosses a pokéball and out pops a Primeape. You tap Irwin on the shoulder and he switches places with Ellen Jr. The Primeape saunters up to Irwin and slaps him. *_

Did you just—?

I think he did.

He just slapped me!

He just slapped you.

**It’s go time, mate.**

Primeape, AC to DC current, go!

Irwin, get some distance!

_*He ignores you. The Primeape uses fury attack, pummeling Irwin with punches. The blows hit. Irwin has never been fast like Ellen Jr. In the past you relied on him being able to keep a distance from foes and blasting them away, but now that he’s fully evolved Irwin’s less of a glass cannon._

_Yesterday during training, you had planned on using some of his newfound power to keep up with an improved version of the old strategy. As a Feraligatr he should be able to fire off water guns with the intensity of ten fire hoses, but that isn’t what he’s doing now. *_

Irwin, get out of there!

**I got this, mate!**

You’re getting the shit slapped out of you. I don’t think you’ve really got this.

Trust me!

_*After a full salvo of blows, Irwin is surrounded by a red aura. He roars and throws Wattson’s Primeape into a wall*_

What was that?

**Counter?**

Irwin, you—

**Beat the Primeape in one throw? I know, mate!**

Almost got beaten. That was risky.

**I can afford to take more risks now, Tommy.**

_*Ellen Jr. puts her hand on your shoulder before you can say anything else. She pushes Irwin back. *_

**Fully evolved or not, that was stupid. Now both of us aren’t doing so hot and Wattson has two more Pokémon to go. Next time hit ‘em hard and fast or leave the fighting to me.**

See?

**And Tommy, Irwin just wants to prove himself.**

**Well, yeah.**

**Are you done getting a pep talk from your _Pokémon_ , m’boy?**

_*Wattson tosses a pokéball out into the battlefield. A Snubbull appears. Fairy type. *_

EJ, would you mind?

**I’d be glad.**

_*The Snubbull gets on all fours and starts barking the moment Ellen Jr. takes her place. *_

**You know I still have type advantage, right?**

_Oh, crap._

EJ, use steel wing!

_*Ellen Jr’s wings glow and she vanishes. Then the Snubbull starts gradually rising into the air with scratches and bruises appearing as if it were being punched into the air. *_

**Wow.**

**Good job! I hope you’re ready for my last Pokémon! Go Clefable!**

_*You and Irwin give each other the side eye before Ellen Jr. repeats her steel wing attack on the Clefable. *_

_*Wattson and his gym trainers give you a round of applause. He crosses the room and places a tiny badge in your hand. *_

**That was quite the electrifying battle, Tommy**

**Oh, my _fucking_ god.**

**So, what are you plans after this?**

What do you mean?

_*The gym trainers get out of your way as Wattson puts his arm around your shoulders. The gesture is supposed to be friendly and familiar, but your vision flickers for a second. You know something different happened here in another life. *_

**My gym tends to weed out challengers. Some, even those who beat me, decide to give up on the challenge.**

Yeah… Brawly said something about how every gym battle from here on out would require me to be creative.

**But we did the same thing we _always_ do.**

**Shut up, Irwin. The old man seems to be trying to dissuade Tommy.**

**Yes, and I wanted to tell you that I think you have a lot of talent while reminding you how much more difficult the coming battles will be. There is no shame if you decide to walk away—**

_*You stop listening to Wattson and your flickering vision suddenly solidifies. Several other Tommys hear this same thing from Wattson. And the other gym leaders. Those specific words: Walk Away._

_The you in the here and now feels a tug through the thread linking you to all your other selves in those worlds. You remember the Ari's from your dreams asking if you wanted to Walk Away._

_Wattson is still talking, but you have no interest in what he is saying anymore. *_

I’m gonna stop you right there.

**Pardon?**

_*You turn to your team. *_

Did I ever tell you guys what my grandpa said about coincidences?

**N** ope.

**Are you talking to me or your Pokémo—**

“Once is happenstance, twice is a coincidence, and three times is a pattern.”

**I fail to see what that has to do with—**

_*You grab Wattson by his collar and push him against the wall. *_

A. Goddamn. _Pattern_!

**Tommy!**

What does that mean? Why do you all keep telling me it’s okay to Walk Away?

_*Wattson’s eyes get wide as if he were someone caught in their misdeeds. Before he can answer you though, some of the gym trainers separate you and Wattson. They drag you out of the building, but your vision changes as you keep screaming, demanding answers._

_A different you smiles and agrees that it_ is _time to Walk Away. He hugs that Wattson and everything in that world turns to static. *_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Riddle me this: do you think Tommy has noticed the _other_ pattern yet?


	33. The Filler Chapter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Literally nothing of consequence happens in this one, I _promise_. it just functions to set pieces in motion, I _swear_. 
> 
> Wink.

  
_*You’re breathing heavily. When the gym trainers dragged you out you kept screaming without taking a breath. Back in Johto stuff like that was your dad’s job. As inertia takes you back to the Pokémon you worry Wattson will call your dad. Gym leaders talk to each other, right? If you dad knows exactly where you are, he can come get you himself or something._ _Shit.*_

**So…**

So.

**Nope. Tommy, what was that.**

... I think the gym leaders are in on the curse.

**Well, duh, but why make a scene like that?**

_*Beat*_

When did you figure that out?

**The moment Roxanne started acting all weird and you had a vision about it? Tommy, I thought this was an unspoken fact we all already figured out already!**

Oh.

**I didn’t know this.**

_ Neither did we, Sir Irwin. _

**And didn’t we _just_ get on Tommy for not sharing information?**

**I thought we all figured that out forever ago!**

Anyways… what do we do now with that information we all know?

**Well, the plan’s still the same, right?**

It’s the only thing I can think of.

**So, we keep moving forward or whatever and try to be conscious.**

**Lunch?**

_ Ah, that is correct. Sir Tommy, we should probably stop for lunch and rest before we leave Mauville. _

**Yeah… I’ve been on my feet all day and if we’re gonna _walk_ all the way to wherever the next gym is, we should probably get some rest.**

You’re right.

_*The thing is in your haste to get to Mauville City, you didn’t really get to take a look at all the restaurants. You could go back to the Pokémon Center, but the food there wasn’t very good. To your left there’s a shop with Rydel’s spelled out in the window in big white letters._

_Your vision starts to cloud over. *_

Uh…

**Tommy, what’s wrong now?**

I know that place… Something we _need_ is in there.

**More psychic bullshit.**

There are benches inside.

**Then, let’s fucking go!**

_*You open the door and a little bell jingles above your head. Bicycles and scooters are everywhere. Ellen Jr. and Irwin immediately sit down on the bench by the window while you walk up to the man near the counter unpacking bike parts. *_

  
Uh… yeah. I guess you’re Rydel?

**Got it in one, kiddo. So what are you in the market for?**

Well…

_*You try to call back the hazy feeling. A full vision would have been helpful here, but instead you got a vague longing. Rydel claps you on the shoulder. *_

  
Well, we pretty much walked here from Littleroot Town.

**Wow! Well, it’s okay if you aren’t sure. How about I make a suggestion?**

Okay…

**I think you might need this—**

_*Rydel points to an emerald green bike hanging on the wall. The fuzzy feeling comes back, but you decide to play it cool. *_

And… what is that?

**It’s a Mach Bike. Ten speeds with collapsible front and back baskets. It also folds up and can fit in any standard issue hammerspace backpack.**

Whoa… but why suggest this bike?

_*Mr. Rydel points at your Pokémon lazing on the bench. *_

**You’re one of those trainers that doesn’t really recall your Pokémon to their balls, right? The front basket can fit most medium sized Pokémon and the back basket works like a seat when its folded up…**

So, I could say… ride a bike with my Persian in the front basket, Feraligatr or Scizor sitting on the sorta-seat behind me?

_*Ellen Jr. perks up. *_

**Actually, it would probably be easier for me and the queen here to fly alongside you.**

But this would still be much more convenient for the walking Pokémon in our party…

**So, was this the thing we needed, mate?**

_*You nod, excitedly. Finally, your visions do something actually helpful to the reality you’re actually in. Then you look at the pricetag: 555,000 Pokédollars. You groan and in an instant Ellen Jr. is at your side. *_

Oh… this is way outside my budget.

**This is a money thing again, right?**

Yup. We might’ve made major bank helping Mr. Stone, but we aren’t, like, roiling in it. Especially after that hotel.

_ If only we could open the Royal Coffers… _

Sorry, Mr. Rydel. Could you maybe show me a… cheaper bike?

  
Wait… what?

**Yes! I will give you this bike.**

Uh…

**I swear to “god” that if this is a curse thing…**

But why?

**Well… I’m just not setting up shop here from Unova. No one really knows about my shop or my business. Maybe I can just give you this bike and you can ride it all over as free advertising?**

_*Irwin sticks out his hand (claws?). *_

**Deal.**

Irwin!

**Your Feraligatr sees what a great deal this is.**

**Look, mate. I’m just in this for selfish reasons. If you get the bike… _I_ can learn how to ride it.**

**Stupid.**

_ We agree with our consort. _

_*Irwin shrugs. *_

**I mean, it’s also good for the team.**

**And we could probably get to where we’re going in half the time…**

Okay, Mr. Rydel. You’ve got yourself a deal!

***

_*Later, after lunch you hop on the bike and start pedaling for Route 111. *_

Irwin, you’re gonna have to put your arms around me.

**But, I’m the king of the world!**

**Is he referencing something?**

I think so. Probably some movie for _old_ people.

**Hey! _S.S. Anne_ is a classic!**

_*whispering*_ For old people.

_*While you laugh at Irwin’s insistence that S.S. Anne is a cultural touchstone and sings parts of My Heart Will Go On you hear a rumbling from above. A giant boulder crashes from the sky a couple feet in front of your bike. You swerve out of the way and thanks to Irwin’s weight, land in some nearby bushes. *_

**WE MEET AGAIN AT LAST, TOMMY!**

**Again at last is redundant.**

Is that who I think it is…?

  
**Oh, shit.**

**IT IS I, REGIROCK: GOLEM OF THE PEAKS—**

**And ou** r doom.

**Wait, you two know Regirock?**

_*Regina bows before Regirock*_

Long story short: he attacked us right before you tried to kill us.

**Yeah, that did happen right EJ tried to kill us.**

**Long ago.**

**Yeah, like a year and some change.**

Irwin, that was a _month_ ago.

**Really? Because it feels like—**

_*Regirock stomps its foot and more boulders fall from the canyon walls nearby. *_

**I HAVE HAD ENOUGH OF YOUR TOMFOOLERY—**

Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahhahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahhahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahhah!

**Tommy!**

I’m sorry, but we’re being attacked by a legendary rock monster for the second time _in a month_ and my fear is kinda making me realize how hi-fucking-larious it is that he called our antics _tom_ foolery.

**… huh?**

**I don’t get it.**

**I grew up in a cave. Wordplay isn’t my thing.**

Tomfoolery. Tom, as in a different diminutive form of my name?

** Ohhhhhhhhh _hhh_ **

****

_*Regirock stomps again. *_

****

**I WILL NOT BE IGNORED! THIS TIME THERE WILL BE NO ZAPDOS TO SAVE YOU! NO DEUS EX MACHINA AT THE LAST SECOND TO RESCUE YOU FROM MY WRATH!**

****

_*Regirock raises its arm and suddenly the boulders are levitating around you. Just before you can tell Irwin to blast away the boulders or ask Ellen Jr. to pull you away or anything, a pink light covers Regirock. Then it… poofs away. All the levitating boulders unceremoniously fall right between the canyon entrance, blocking your path. *_

****

_Pathetic._

****

_*A pink bubble floats inches away from your face before following suit and vanishing like Regirock. *_

****

 

****

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> riddle me this: what other _tomfoolery_ can this crew get up to?
> 
> oh, I slay me.


	34. Over the Mountain

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _♪The team went over the mountain_   
>  _The team went under the mountain_   
>  _The team went through the mountain_
> 
>  
> 
> _What do you think they saw?♪_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note: I did some light editing of all the colors, so some of them may look a little different than before. It shouldn't be drastic, but I just wanted to point it out in case anything seems too odd.

…

**…**

**Didn’t he say there wouldn’t be a deus ex machina to rescue you?**

Shut up, Irwin.

_*You try to climb over the rocks, but they’re too smooth somehow for you to get any grip. *_

**But, real talk: what was that? **

**And couldn’t our mysterious pink savior get rid of these boulders too?**

_ We can do that, actually. _

You can do what?  
  
_*The boulders shatter into tiny pieces. Your jaw hits the floor. *_

Since when can you do _that_?

_ We learned it in the Day Care Center. _

Oh. Well… We might as well get back to our journey then.

**Only if we can speculate about what just saved us! **

Sure, but lemme check the map again right quick.  


**So, we just go north from here, right?**

Well…  


**Of course, the easy path is impossible. **

No big, we’ll just have to cut through… a mountain?

**A mountain.**

Well… Wait! According to the PokéNav, there’s a cable car at the foot of Route 112 that goes—

**How much you wanna bet that it’ll be broken down or something?**

… Lets just keep moving.  


_*Since the walk to the Cable Car isn’t that far, you put your bike in your backpack. Like 111, Route 112 is surrounded by canyon walls. The mountain used to cover more area until a combination of a massive seismic event and massive erosion millions of years ago created the dessert valley and canyons of Routes 111, 112, and 113. You explain this much to Irwin, pointing out the lines and markers of erosion along the canyon walls. *_

**Pretty impressive, mate. But, uh… how do you know that?**

Huh?

**Mate, you just explained fifteen textbooks’ worth of geological history and folklore. **

I did?

_*You see a bright red light through your peripheral vision. *_

**_So_ much nerd shit, Tommy. Promise me you won’t explain the history of the mountain in the “cable car.”**

**Blocked.**

__  
*Two men in red uniforms with hoods and a stylized M logo on the chest stand at the entrance. Something feels familiar about them to you. *

Uh… hi?

**Red Man 1: You’d better turn back, kid.**

Excuse me?

**Red Man 2: We’ve got orders not to let anyone take the cable car.**

**Orders from who?**

**Grammar, EJ. You should say “orders from whom”**

**Really? This is the time you pick to be a pedantic little—**

Guys, they don’t understand you. _*You pause. *_ Orders from _whom_?

**Red Man 1: Orders from _who_.**

What?

**Red Man 1: Look, I get not understanding how grammar works—**

_*Irwin pushes you out of the way and gets in the Red Man’s face. *_

**You use “whom” to refer to an object of verb or a preposition and in this context, it functions as a preposition. If we’re being actual sticklers for grammar, then the sentence should have been “From whom did you receive those orders” but that is unnecessarily awkward and does not flow with conversation! Therefore, “orders from whom” is not only grammatically correct, but also flows just as well.**

_*Beat. *_

**Red Man 1: … could you _please_. Get. Your Pokémon. Out of my face?**

Uh… tldr: whom was apparently the correct grammar and Irwin was just really passionate about that topic?

_*Beat *_

**Does anyone but me see the irony in Irwin flipping out over his right to be a pedantic little jerk?**

**Red Man 2:** * _Sighs_ * **We work for Team Magma—the geologic survey organization, you’ve heard of us right?—and our boss asked us to keep anyone from taking the car up. Right, Joe?**

**Joe: Right, Doug. Apparently, there’s some kind of volcanic event going on, and the boss wanted us to keep trainers from boarding their way up while it’s still dangerous.**

_*You look up and see smoke coming out of the mountaintop. *_

Mt. Chimney is an active volcano?  
  
**Doug: Because there’s something going on up there.**

**You have gotta be fucking kidding me.**

So how are we supposed to get to Lavaridge Town?

**Joe: Cut through the dessert?**

Ugh!

**Doug: Orrrrr you could take the Fiery Path over there? It’ll root you around through Fallarbor Town, but you might be able to get a guide there to take you up the mountain on one of the safer paths?**

**Oh. Well… that was legitimately helpful. **

Thanks… Doug?

**Doug: Well, safe travels!**

_*Joe and Doug turn back around, clearly trying to will you away. You’re about to thank them again when your sight goes five hundredfold._

_You see Joe and Doug, but the three of you are at the mountain’s summit. Lava rises and falls into the air as if the mountain were burping. Ari is there at your side as a Combusken. No, a Marshtomp—Carrie. No, a Treecko—Sylvain. No, a—_

_The you of right here and now tries to focus on what is happening because who is with you doesn’t matter if you’re seeing into five hundred other lives at the same time._

_“You won’t get away with this!” five hundred of you say to a smirking man standing the volcano’s edge_

_And then everything explodes. *_

**Sir Tommy!**

**Wake up.**

**Vision?**

  
Yup, and we’d better back away slowly.

_*On the way to the Fiery Path, which is a small cave system instead of an actual path, you explain what you saw. *_

**So yeah… remind me how your visions work: do you see things that _aren’t_ going to happen or…?**

**He sees into alternate timelines that seems to have parallel events happening which may or may not be aff—**

**Nerd.**

Eliza!

_ We agree with our consort, Sir Irwin. You  _ are _a nerd._

But _anyways_ , I still think we should be on our guard or something? At the very least.  


**Who turned on the furnace?**

_ We’re inside a volcano, Lady Ellen Jr.  _

**… This is true. But, I’m a steel type and this heat isn’t really doing it for me.**

**Me neither, mate**

So… back to pokéballs?

**Su—**

**AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH HEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEELLLLLLLLLP!**

_*In the distance there is a Meganium on fire. You are so beyond being surprised that a grass Pokémon is here. The only solution you can think of is to throw a pokéball and hope you can catch the Meganium in one try. The pokéball soars through the air and bonks the Meganium on the head. When it dematerializes, the flames vanish. *_

  
Okay, everyone in their pokéballs. I’ma speedrun this shit.

_*With your team safely in their pokéballs, you pedal. And pedal. And pedal some more. When you left Littleroot Town a month ago you were wearing clothes more suited to a late summer- early fall weather climate. Long pants and a couple layers. You know your mom probably packed shorts, but there isn’t enough time to change clothes—it’s too hot. You do peel off your jacket and tie it around your waist. As you ride through the heat it flaps at your back tire, creating a grasshopper like chirp every now and then._

_And then you’re struck with another vision. A different you walking through this cave with Ari—he a Blaziken and the other you wearing proper attire. He explains to the other you that the Fiery Path is so hot because it’s embedded within an active volcano._

_“Then isn’t it dangerous for us to be here?” the other you asks. Ari just laughs, and the vision ends._

_So, you pedal and pedal your way through the Fiery Path. Steam and flames rise from the ground all around you. Obviously, the heat is unbearable, but so is the silence. the only time you’ve really had without your team was back in the Trick Master’s labyrinth-thing—and even then, you still had the illusory voices of Ellen Jr. and Irwin at your side. It’s weird. You try thinking very hard in what you assume is their direction. Maybe now your psychic powers will—_

_Oh wait, but you aren’t psychic. Not exactly. Sure, you can see future events in alternate worlds, but you can’t read minds. And you can talk to Pokémon somehow._

_In the distance you can see a light—the exit! *_

_*You pedal through, but your pants leg catches on the gears and the bike goes flying through the air. This is it, you think, this is how you die. If you had the wherewithal you’d probably laugh at how melodramatic that thought was. Instead you and your bike fall onto a pink bubble which explodes beneath you. Despite the relatively soft landing, your bike still crashes into you which makes you bump your head on a nearby tree. *_

_Must I do everything?_

_*And then you pass out. *_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Riddle me this: what is that pink voice's deal?


	35. Cabin Fever

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tommy has _always_ depended on the kindness of strangers

_*You are in a bed in what is probably a log cabin. A soft, fluffy bed. There are several down pillows stacked around you at all sides. The pillows are keeping you from being able to see the whole room clearly. The only thing you can see—other than Irwin who is looming over you—is a roaring fireplace. *_

**Psst, Tommy.**

No.

**Tommy.**

Nooo.

**Tommy, budge over.**

Noooo, I’m so comfortable.

**Budge over or I’m gonna sit on you. **

_*You scoot over and Irwin plops down on the bed next to you. *_

**Do you know where we are?**

Nope, do you?

**Not really, but I _am_ getting a _Misery_ vibe from this place.**

Is that another old person movie?

**Shut up, Tommy.**

…

**…**

Where are the others?

_*Irwin points over his shoulder. Regina and Eliza are curled up right in front of the fireplace. Ellen Jr. is napping in a rocking chair. The Meganium you caught back in the volcano is by the door and wrapped in several bandages. *_

Holy fuck.

**I know, right?**

Well, maybe we should do a quick investigation while the others keep napping?

_*You get out of bed and notice that your leg—the one that had gotten caught on your bike’s gears—is bandaged up. There’s a door on the eastern side of the room so you and Irwin stand on both sides of it. On the count of three you throw open the door and jump into the new room._

_There is only an old lady knitting and watching TV. *_

**Oh, hello. You’re awake!**

Uh… yeah. Wh-where am I?

**In my cabin, honey.**

I mean—

**Oh! Well, it’s Route 111 right outside of the Fiery Path.**

_*You remember “falling” off your bike and crashing into a pink bubble. It would seem your mysterious pink benefactor saved you again._

_Irwin tentatively waddles over to the old lady, staring at her knitting. *_

**What’s she doing?**

Knitting.

**Pardon?**

Oh, he asked what you were doing.

**Your Pokémon “asked” what I was doing?**

I can talk to Pokémon.

 **Oh! How nice.** _*To Irwin*_ **I’m making a new shawl.**

**Nice.**

He thinks that’s pretty cool.

**Wonderful. You know, a few years ago there was another young lady like you who stopped by here.**

**Like Tommy?**

What… do you mean by that?

**Well, she was a young trainer who said she could talk to Pokémon. And she also came here after… an accident.**

_*A chill runs down your arm. You feel like you’re about to have one of those moments where you see in your vision five hundredfold all the different things this woman said to all the alternate versions of you, but that doesn’t happen. There is no vision, just a familiar feeling of dread. *_

What kind of accident?

**Oh, dear. It was just so tragic! She was in a battle with one of the local trainers and her poor little Combusken… didn’t survive.**

**What?**

**The poor girl just shut down—kept muttering something about walking away. Luckily, that trainer got her here where she could rest for a few days until her parents could come get her. By the way…**

_*You and Irwin make frightened eye contact. He nods slowly. *_

Sure, actually I think I need another nap. Irwin, do you need another nap?

 _*Fake yawning*_ **Hell yeah, let’s go.**

_*The two of you scramble back into the bedroom and close the door. *_

**What's that thing your grandpa said about patterns?**

1= happenstance, 2= coincidence, and 3= pattern.

 **Are we at a pattern yet with trainers who could talk to their Pokémon who later ended up dying?**

_*Gulping*_ If we count me, then yes.

**What do we do about this?**

_*Your PokéNav beeps from within your backpack which is hanging on the rocking chair with Ellen Jr. everyone wakes up. *_

_ Sir Tommy, could you please turn that off? _

**Cacophonous.**

**Is this more 80s music?**

Shh! Guys, we need to talk.

_Mmmmf._

_*You silenced your PokéNav—there seemed to be a message, but you figured you could check it later—and filled the team in. *_

_ We say this is a coincidence. _

**So, we aren’t counting Tommy in his rule?**

_ Of course not, it would be far more prudent to call this a pattern if there are three others rather than Tommy being the third. _

**But this is weird, right? They both had shutdowns like Tommy did!**

**But he’s bounced back each time.**

_ Only because all of us haven’t died. _

_Mmmhmm. Excuse me_

_*Everyone turns to look at the Meganium. Her antennae are still singed. *_

_Oh, dear. We have not even bothered to introduce ourselves. A good queen must always strive for manners above all else. *bowing*  We are Queen Regina Esplanade D’Amour of Valenca, and you are?_

_Um…_

**Regina, she had something to say and you kinda cut her off. Isn’t _that_ rude?**

_Um…_

_ Now you’re interrupting her, Irwin. What was it that you were trying to say? _

_Um…_

_*The Meganium lays back down. *_

_I forget._

Oh, well… sorry about that. Can you tell us your name?

 _*Mumbling*_ _I forget._

**… Wait, what?**

_Sometimes I have trouble remembering stuff?_

Is that why you were in the Fiery Path?

_I was in the Fiery Path?!?!?!?_

**Tommy, is this… is this for real or are we being pranked?**

_I assure you, this is no prank. Short term memory loss, it’s been a problem for me forever… I think._

**Oh my God.**

**Shut up, Irwin.**

_*You crouch down and sit next to the Meganium. Despite the absurdity of this situation, you feel… a certain kinship with her. Not fully understanding the world around you and being unable to trust your memory feels pretty close to your life right now and you decide to tell her this. *_

Look, Honey—

_Oh, wait. That’s my name._

Wait, what?

_Hi, I’m Honey and while I am quite grateful that you saved me in the Fiery Path, this… weirdness is freaking me out._

Sorry, Honey.

**Are we going to ignore the sudden shift from “I don’t remember” to this?**

**Irwin, she might be traumatized or something. She’s a grass type who was in the _Fiery Place_.**

**Wait, why were you in the Fiery Path in the first place?**

_*Honey pauses. She opens her mouth to speak, but quickly closes it again. *_

Right, sorry. I forgot about the short-term memory loss thing. I can release you when we leave this cabin and you can go back to wherever you’re from.

_*Honey makes an awkward sound while shrugging. Or at least you think that’s what she’s doing since she does not have shoulders. *_

_Actually, I… think I’m from the Fiery Path._

**You think?**

Shut up, Irwin.

_No, that’s a reasonable thing to ask. I-I know logically it makes no sense for a colony of Meganium to live in a volcano, but… I’m pretty sure that’s my reality._

_*You look back at Irwin, who seems unperturbed. *_

You just said “but.”

_ I did. This weirdness is freaking me out so much because it applies to my life. Because I also know logically that I cannot belong in the Fiery Path. But… we aren’t the only Pokémon that shouldn’t be in there. Magikarp, Oddish, even a few Pineco. _

**I don’t know what you’re talking about.**

Irwin.

**What?**

Remember how we talked about how you’re affected by the curse too sometimes?

**Yeah…**

You just did the “I don’t know what you’re talking about” head tilt again.

**Shit. Well, at least _she_ can recognize how weird her reality is. Even though she can barely remember her name.**

Irwin.

**Look, I’ve accepted the curse. But how come she’s the first one to notice how “weird” her natural environment is? Ellen jr. didn’t think it was weird, and Scizor are forest Pokémon!**

**No, we aren’t.**

**Read a book: Scyther and Scizor are usually found in forests because their main food sources are tree sap and smaller non-Pokémon insects. _Neither_ of those can be found in caves.**

_*Beat*_

**I don’t know what you’re talking about.**

**See! See! She just did it too now! **

**Conspiracy?**

_ We are feeling a bit frightened now. _

_*Honey interrupts the tension with a hearty laugh. Everyone stares at her, unsure of what to say or how to react. *_

_Is this just a regular a thing with you people? Curses and conspiracies?_

Un _fort_ __una **tely.**

Here’s the thing, Honey, we’re a pretty odd group. Supposedly the answer to all the weird things happening in Hoenn is at Mt. Pyre. If you want answers too, then you should come with us.

_And then what?_

Huh?

_Well, what are you all going to do after you get your answers?_

_ We are going to restore Valenca. _

**I go where Tommy goes.**

**Ditto. Er… same.**

And I’m headed back to Olivine City. So, you got anywhere in particular you’d like to see?

_... Unova._

We can make that happen.

***

_*The next morning you all leave the cabin and continue north. According to the old lady the best guide up alternate paths of Mt. Chimney is Professor Cosmo in Fallarbor Town which is on the other side of Route 113._

_When you finally get to Route 113, you think it’s snowing. Silvery white flakes fall from the sky and blanket everything. *_

**Snow!**

But it’s September.

_ And it isn’t cold… _

**Who cares? I’ma make a snow angel!**

_*Irwin leaps into the grass, rolling around wildly. For a moment you wonder why he would be so eager to play in snow as a cold-blooded creature. Also, as an educated scientist, you’re pretty sure Irwin should know what happens to cold blooded reptiles in cold weather._

_Before you can call him back to his pokéball to save him from himself, Irwin jumps out of the grass, coughing. *_

**Not snow! Not snow!**

Huh?

**Ash. **

_*Eliza points her nose up to the sky. You can see the volcano’s caldera in the distance and from there a cloud of ash is rising into the air. *_

So, Route 113 is covered in ash from the _active_ volcano less than ten miles away?

**Apparently.**

And no one is freaking out about this?

**Apparently not.**

_*Sigh*_ Lets keep moving then.

_*You take off your hat and use it to cover your mouth as you all wade through the piles and piles of ash. Several trainers pop up and challenge you during your journey and they all confirm that Route 113 is always like this. You’re about to exit the route when you hear rustling behind you. *_

Holy fucking shit, it’s you!

**Tommy, th-that’s Mew!**

Hey, why are you following us?

_I don’t answer to you._

_*Mew starts flying away. *_

EJ! Don’t let Mew escape!

**Tommy, even _I_ know you don’t fuck with Mew.**

But it’s been following us and being all ominous and it’s PINK LIKE THE DEUS EX MACHINA BUBBLES

_*Beat*_

**Fine.**

_*Ellen Jr. takes a pokéball from your belt and vanishes. You hear blasts and clanging in the distance. Ash rises and falls all around you. And then everything settles. Everything is calm. Ellen Jr. stands a few feet away, scratched up and her carapace a bit duller. *_

There.

Okay, let’s get to Fallarbor Town and then…

_*You pause for dramatic effect while you stare at the pokéball containing another clue in the ongoing mystery of your life. *_

And then we start asking questions.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i wonder what the long term consequences for catching mew could be...


	36. Nia

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dun Dun
> 
> Dun Dun Dun Dun Duuuuun
> 
> Dun Dun
> 
> (guess what song that is)

_*It’s easy to understand how Fallarbor Town got its name. even though it is only early September—which doesn’t seem to actually be autumn in Hoenn for some reason—the trees are brilliant shades of reds, oranges, and browns. They seem to sparkle against the volcanic ash still falling from the sky._

_Irwin interrupts your survey of the town to point you in the direction of the Pokémon Center. Instead you take the team to a nearby alleyway out of sight. Even you know the panic you’d cause bringing Mew into a Pokémon center. You gather the team in front of a wall and have them all stand in a line just in case Mew tries to run away. *_

Okay, guys get ready.

**For what, it’s _Mew_. **

**And isn’t Mew, Mewtwo’s creator?**

_*Regina makes an undignified, but definitely frightened squeak. *_

_ Sir Tommy, you have captured the Demon’s progenitor? _

**Dangerous.**

I know, I know! But… Mew’s been stalking us!

_*Back at Route 117, then again with Regirock and finally at the fiery path. Each time Mew had been there and each time you felt certain there was something wrong. Once is happenstance, twice a coincidence, and three times is a pattern. Always. *_

**And?**

And… what?

**So, Mew is stalking us. Why should we care?**

It could be curse related.

**You think everything is related to the curse.**

**To be fair, everything kinda is.**

_ You’re taking his side? He captured one of the legendary Pokémon! You don’t do that! _

** Deep breaths. **

**I’m not taking Tommy’s side, exactly. It’s just… what if this is like Mewtwo all over again? What if Mew has some mysterious grudge against you and that’s why it’s been following us?**

Then, why would it save us from Regirock?

**I don’t know! I just think we need to be _careful_. Or at least have more of a plan than “stand in a line and hope Mew forgets it knows how to teleport again.”**

_I’m honestly surprised that worked the first time._

**You didn’t even see it, Honey.**

_I didn’t?_

**No, Honey.**

_Oh, then I guess I just wanted to be included in the conversation._

Look, everyone. I know this was probably a dumb idea, but we’re going to get through this the same way we’ve gotten through everything.

**Optimism through stalwart fatalism?**

Shut up, Irwin.

 _*Whispering*_ **He isn’t wrong…**

Together. _Together_. We’re going to get through this together. I was trying to invoke the power of friendship here.

**Corny.**

_*You ignore Eliza and toss the Pokéball against the wall. In a brilliant flash of materializing light, appears Mew. *_

What do you want, Timmy?

_*Beat*_

My name’s _Tommy_.

I’m **insulting** you.

By getting my name wrong? That doesn’t feel like much of an insult.

That’s because you’re too unintelligent to understand.

**Stupid?**

See? Even the monosyllabic distortion understands.

**Hey!**

_*trembling*_ _Y-you will not insult m-my consort._

_*Mew suddenly vanishes and reappears inches from Regina’s face. *_

Boo!

_*Regina screams and rushes to return herself to her Pokéball, dematerializing in a flash of red light. *_

**That was uncalled for.**

So’s your face.

**What did you s—**

We’re getting nowhere because—uh, what are your pronouns?

They/them.

We’re getting nowhere because they’re trolling us.

**Trolling?**

Saying deliberately inflammatory and disingenuous things to get a rise out of us.

Ding, ding, ding.

**So, this was a waste of time.**

Apparently.

Quiet, you.

_*You run your hands through your hair. If you want to get anywhere in this interrogation, you'll need to channel your grandpa. Quickly, you scroll through your PokéNav—ignoring the unread messages waiting for you on the screen—and pull up the perfect song. The Law & Order theme song plays. Irwin snickers and gives you a high five. Gingerly, you crouch down and get on eye level with the Mew. *_

Look, why were you following us?

Who said I was following you?

No one but—

Wooooow. Look at the human thinking everything is about him. Revolutionary.

But you’ve—

Been in three places you just so happened to be? Coincidence. Just because your grandpa tells you some silly axiom doesn’t make it real.

How do you know about that?

I’m psychic, duh.

_*You decide to take another shot at this line of questioning. *_

You saved me twice.

: 

Once with Regirock and again after I got out of the Fiery Path.

Wasn’t me.

Looked like you.

It was my cousin.

**Mewthree?**

Yeah, her.

But what about Raqiya?

_*There’s a beat. Mew is suddenly breathing fast and looking around surreptitiously. *_

**Wait, who’s Raqiya?**

Nacho.

**Nacho? Nacho, what?**

Nacho business, insect.

**… I have no idea what that means.**

I did and that was _rude_.

And why should I care?

_*You step into Mew’s personal space. They lock eyes with you. *_

Okay, I’m cutting this Seviper off at the head: I know you’re full of shit, you know you’re full of shit. Just tell me the truth: why are you following us?

Hmm… I heard an implied “or else” in there.

You did. Tell me the truth _or else_.

Or else what? You’ll curse me too?

_*Mew covers their mouth and turns to the wall. *_

**Too?**

You know about the curse?

_*Mew makes a long blonde wig appear on their head and flips their hair, femme fatale style. It’s laid, mama. *_

Of course, I know about the curse.

Great we have so many quest—

_*Mew turns back around to fully face you, a triumphant grin on their face. *_

I mean, you said it yourself: I’ve been “stalking” you, so of course I’d hear everything you’ve said.

No, no! You’re lying!

Excuse you?

When we first met, you said “ _I can’t do this anymore, Raqiya_ ”

_*You take a deep breath. While you may not be a great detective like your grandpa, you’ve still internalized all of his lessons and everything you’ve seen in mystery novels. This is your parlor scene. This is where you reach the truth. *_

Raqiya is someone to you. Perhaps the someone making you watch us. Perhaps Raqiya is the one who cursed us!

…

That’s it, isn’t it?

_*Mew sighs. It is a frustrated sigh that you’ve heard five hundred times before. *_

No. But wouldn’t it be **great** if that **were** the case? Wouldn’t it be **great** if it were **Raqiya** who was the big bad monster at the end of your quest for you to slay? Wouldn’t it be **great** if you didn’t have to take into account how **you’re** at fault for all this? *Laughs*

_*The blonde wig vanishes. Mew stares you down and you can see all the similarities between them and Mewtwo. Despite Mew’s cute and cuddly appearance, you can see the power and rage rumbling within them, practically underneath their fur._

_Mewtwo had said you wished for something. Maybe… maybe this really is your fault somehow? *_

So, tell me how this is all my fault! Quit with all the cloak and dagger bullshit!

You’re a smart kid: figure it out.

_*In a flash of red light Mew returns themselves to their pokéball. *_

**I say again: that was a waste of time.**

_When did you say it the first time?_

Sorry, everyone.

**So, what are we gonna do with our prisoner?**

**Prisoner?**

**Yeah, Eliza. If we’re holding Mew without their consent, it counts as holding them as a prisoner.**

Hmmm, I’m suddenly uncomfortable with keeping Mew around.

_*You press the release button on Mew’s pokéball, expecting them to reappear after the pokéball fell apart, but the pokéball vanished from your hands in a flash of pink light and reappeared on your belt. A note falls from the sky and hits you on the head. *_

Oh no, you’re stuck with me now. Suck it, Timmy. —Nia

I… do not like legendary Pokémon anymore.

**Me neither.**

Let’s go find Professor Cosmo

**Did you just say Professor Cosmo?**

Huh?

_*An old man is staring at you outside the alley. You hope he wasn’t eavesdropping on your whole conversation. *_

Do you know where we can find Professor Cosmo?

Shady characters?

**Yeah, they were dressed in red hoodies with horns!**

_ Red hoodies with horns… why does that sound familiar? _

_*You suddenly have a bad feeling this is about to become yet another detour in your journey. *_

Oh, well… I’m not one of those guys. I just wanted to ask Professor Cosmo if he could help me get to Lavaridge Town?

**Well, his house is that way—**

_*You start walking in that direction instead of letting the old man continue. If you’re about to be redirected again, you’d like it to happen as soon as possible rather than getting a bunch of useless exposition._

_Professor Cosmo lives in a fairly humble house. You raise your hand to give the door a slight knock, but the door opens. A crying woman is there. Before you get the chance to say anything, she pulls you inside. *_

**You’re a Pokémon trainer, right?**

Uhhh.

**I feel this is a weird question.**

Yes, is something wrong… Mrs. Cosmo?

**They came in here and took him!**

I figured.

**You figured?**

Today’s been one of those days. So which way is Meteor Falls?

_*Mrs. Cosmo points west. *_

**We’re going to help her?**

Obviously. How else can we get Professor Cosmo back?

**I’m more concerned with getting to Lavaridge Town.**

Fingers crossed Doug and Joe aren’t there.

_*You look out a nearby window towards Route 114. In the distance you can see the limestone rocks that make up Meteor Falls, which means it must be pretty close. *_

**Um… were you talking to me?**

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Riddle me this: what could happen if Doug and Joe _are_ there?


	37. (In)Direct Articles

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reading is fundamental.

_*The five (six, if you include Nia who is still in their pokéball. Periodically notes from them appear from thin air. You wonder how Nia is conjuring sheets of paper from within their pokéball.) make a mad dash for Rote 114. None of you have the time to_ really _take in the beautiful natural imagery since you’re in a rush and—_

_Right when you cross over into the tall grass a Medicham leaps out at you. He does a series of complex kicks inches from your face which you assume are to scare you away. *_

**_Human and domesticated fools, beware my righteous kicks!_ **

…

**Is–is he challenging us to a fight? Now?**

**_You bet I am, and the stars have foretold that you will lose me!_ **

**The stars? Bullshit.**

**Tommy, can I take this upstart down a peg?**

_*Beat. *_

Oh, I’m definitely catching him.

**_What?_ **

_*Sighs*_ **Do we even have the time, mate?**

It’ll help us get rid of Nia.

**Then, by all means.**

_*Ellen Jr steps up and punches the Medicham in the face, knocking him back ten feet. *_

**I got this.**

_*The Medicham flings a couple trees your way telekinetically. Ellen Jr. flies right into one at full speed, breaking it into pieces. You over your face to protect your eyes from possible splinters flying through the air. Irwin and Honey shield you from the other tree by covering you and whipping the incoming tree away respectively. The Medicham puts his fingers to his forehead and tries to hurl a confusion attack or some sort of psychic blast, but nothing happens. *_

Ellen Jr, use false swipe!

_*She vanishes and reappears behind the Medicham. With one swift strike, Ellen Jr. jabs her elbow into the Medicham’s back. He goes down and you choose this moment to throw a pokéball. *_

_*The pokéball glows and dematerializes. It’s probably been transported to the PC. You briefly wonder if it’s still a Bill PC in Hoenn… *_

And we’ll go pick him up after we rescue the professor!

_Yes, the… professor. Professor…_

**Cosmo.**

_Yes… her?_

**Him.**

_*A note falls on your head again. It reads, “This forgetful thing stopped being cute sixteen years ago with Finding Nemo.” *_

Shut up, Nia.

_*Another note hits you. It reads, “No.”_

_As you all continue your trek up to the cave’s main entrance you find yourself navigating by muscle memory again. When Irwin boosts you up a limestone wall your sight goes twofold._

_A different you is dangling from this same ledge. Ari—this time as a Blaziken—offers you a hand (claw?)._

_“Wow,” he says. “If I didn’t know better, I’d think you were having some difficulty with our little hike.”_

_“If I didn’t know better,” you reply, out of breath. “I’d think you’d gotten too big for your britches since you evolved.”_

_Ari shrugs. For a second the vision breaks, and you see Ellen Jr in his place with the crown hanging over her head again. The other your does not see her or a crown and is instead focused on the cave’s entrance. He nods at Ari and the two of you do a complicated handshake. Two fist bumps. A thumb war. Two hip checks. A chest bump. And a twirl and dip clearly pulled from some Dancing with the Staryu routine. Ari is the one who twirls and dips you, and the you watching this sequence play out can tell that’s something the two of you aren’t used to since he almost drops you. Perhaps, the roles were reversed before Ari evolved? Once the other you is back on his feet Ari cracks his knuckles._

_“You ready for this?” he asks. *_

Let’s do this.

_ I beg pardon? _

Sorry, vision.

 _*With the crown still over her head*_ **What was it now?**

Apparently, a different version of me has done this before.

**Obviously, otherwise you wouldn’t be having a vision about it.**

_*Irwin bumps your shoulder. *_

**What it _really_ means is we’re gonna do it better.**

Exactly! Wait.

**Wait?**

If we’re gonna do it better, we’re gonna need some music!

**80s movie montage?**

_Wait, what?_

**It was before your time, Honey. You didn’t forget anything this time.**

_*You pull your PokéNav out of your pocket to find something bombastic—perhaps some Unova hip hop?—but you see a bunch of weird messages from an unknown number. *_

_*If it weren’t for this person mentioning walking away, you would have deleted the messages and gone back to searching for music. instead you click on one of the links. And then you open the other two in new tabs. They seem to be newspaper articles backed up on some hidden server online and they all seem to be about— *_

Oh, shit.

**Is 80's music a bad thing after all?**

_*You pass Irwin your PokéNav. He quickly skims the article you left onscreen and begins reading aloud. *_

**Local Son Walks Away From Pokémon Journey. Local Pokémon trainer Brendan Smith, age eleven, has returned after a despairing loss at the Rustboro Gym. His father, Gym leader Johan, has welcomed his son back home. Though glad to have his son home, Gym leader Johan was not pleased by the circumstances that led to the swift return. “My son walked away,” he said in a phone interview. “isn’t that enough for you vultures?” Young Brendan was not available for comment as his despair has left him in a catatonic state.**

**Uh… this article is three years old.**

_ Sir Tommy what’s wrong? _

Someone sent me those a day ago. I’ll bet pokédollars to donuts this is supposed to scare me.

 _*Scrolling through the other articles*_ **And now we know for sure this isn’t just some random thing. Your curse has happened to other people before.**

**If three times is a pattern, what’s… how many articles are there?**

**I’ve found about thirty-seven related articles with “local trainer walks away” in the title.**

**What’s thirty-seven?**

_*Beat*_

Thirty-seven is a conspiracy.

_ Sir Tommy, what do we do with this information now? _

Nothing.

**Nothing?**

We need to rescue the professor and once everything’s less hectic we’ll look through all these for clues.

**But, mate… who sent you these?**

Definitely someone who wants us scared.

**Well, they’re succeeding.**

_*Beat*_

_Weren’t we doing something._

Right. Professor Cosmo.

**So… no music?**

_*You turn on some spy music. *_

Let’s get sneaky, y’all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Riddle me this: what always happens when this group goes into a cave?


	38. Let's Save the Professor!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ♪ let's talk about futility, let's talk about it tom _my_. let's talk about all the weird things and the sad things that can be let's talk about— ♪
> 
> or: the team goes into another cave

_*You hop on your bike and pedal into the cave. Unlike Dewford cave, Meteor Falls is bright. Possibly because of all the holes in the ceiling from the Meteor Shower that hit this cave a thousand years ago._

_Wait. How do you know that?_

_The waterfalls roar and echo which covers the sound of your bike rolling through pebbles and dirt, wings buzzing, and heavy footfalls from your Pokémon. The deeper you ride into the cave; however, you start to hear another sound competing with the roar of the waterfall: voices. *_

Guys, shh!

_WHY ARE WE ALL SHUSHING?_

_*You cover Honey’s mouth and gesture to the people below. *_

_*Whispering*_ **We can’t sneak in if they can hear us, Hon.**

**Why sneak when I can just go in and get him?**

1: You don’t know what the professor looks like.

**He’s probably the one not wearing a red hood.**

_*There’s one guy among the crowd in a lab coat. What is with professors dressing like cartoon scientists? *_

2: He might start screaming if you flash step him away without warning.

**And that’s a bad thing because…?**

This is a rescue mission, we don’t want to scare the doctor to death.

… Point taken.

We're gonna need to figure out way to distract them first and then you can go in and grab him.

 **It didn’t have to be this way, Prof.**

**Tabitha, please!**

**Save it. **

_*You lean in some more to hear the rest of this guy’s villain monologue—something about a thing inside Mt. Chimney sounds familiar—but as soon as you do your foot disturbs a nearby pile of rocks and they all fall down the manmade stairs a few feet away. *_

**Admin Tabitha, there’s some kid over there!**

**I can see that _Stuart_. Get him!**

_*All of the Team Magma grunts reach for pokéballs on their belts. *_

Wait!

_*They pause. You have no idea why they did that. *_

So… you caught me. I’m here for Professor Cosmo and I’m not leaving without him.

**You and what army?**

EJ, now!

**Huh?**

Get th-get the professor!

_*Before she can move, all the Magma grunts release their Pokémon. You count about twenty-one. *_

Well, fuck.

**I’m not a bad guy, kid. In fact, I’ll give you a chance to turn around and leave. You get to survive, and we get to finish our little chat with the professor. How’s that sound?**

_*Your sight goes twofold for a second. Ari is at your side again, flames exploding at his wrists. The other you opens his mouth and says— *_

Evildoers like you will never prosper! Face the wrath of Tommy Marple!

_*Beat*_

**Tommy, what the fuck?!?!?**

_*You clap your hands over your mouth. What was that? *_

**Have it your way, kid. Alright boys, sic—**

**HOLD IT!**

_*In the distance you see a group of pirates—Team Aqua—and their leader Archie. *_

Great, they’re here now too?

**Tabitha. Maxie still wants to go through with this nonsense?**

**Wouldn’t you do the same in his shoes?**

_*Shrugging*_ **Of course, but Maxie should know that what he seeks isn’t inside the volcano.**

**You’re probably just saying that to prevent us from awakening the god of rolling continents!**

**Oh, no. I’m definitely doing that, but it doesn’t make me any less right.**

_*Tabitha and Maxie stare each other down and you’re certain that if they start fighting it might be the perfect distraction to nab the professor and go. *_

**We may outnumber you all…**

**If you know what’s good for you, you won’t interfere, Archie.**

_*Team Magma recalls their Pokémon and marches out towards the exit, most of them deliberately bumping into you on their way out. *_

What the actual fuck?

**Do we… do we have to fight Team Aqua now?**

_*Archie signals his grunts and they run after Team Magma—none of them bump into you. Archie slowly walks up the stairs and steps into your personal space. *_

**I’m pretty sure I warned you what would happen if we crossed paths again.**

_*Irwin and Ellen Jr. are immediately at your side. *_

Don’t’ care. I’m just here for the professor.

**Hmm. I like your spark, kid. Fine, go save the professor. But I’ll warn you one last time: don’t be a hero.**

_*He and the rest of the Aqua grunts left over swiftly exit without giving you the space for a snappy comeback. But you decide this doesn’t matter. None of this bullshit matters except the professor who is tied to a stalagmite. *_

I know, professor. Your wife sent me here, now let’s get you ho—

**No! You have to get that meteorite back! The world might depend on it.**

Well, fuck.

**Oh, no.**

EJ…

**Not this bullshit again. Not another fucking _side quest_!**

**Your Scizor seems angry.**

She’s always like that. _*To Ellen Jr. *_ We can just call the cops or something

**You must not be from here; there are no cops in Hoenn.**

I am both happy and annoyed right now.

**So, the meteorite…**

_*You hold up a hand and try to call forth a vision of any kind. Nothing happens. The other day you saw Mt. Chimney erupting, but the things in your visions never happen to you exactly. The exact, tiny differences are always some other Tommy’s problem while you’re left to deal with your own._

_Maybe you can explain that to the professor? *_

Look, professor. I’m just a kid. There has to be someone more qualified to do this.

**You came here to rescue me, so what makes you think you aren’t?**

I didn’t do anything? Team Magma left because Team Aqua came.

**And you’ve clearly tangoed with them before.**

Because I _had_ to. Besides, what can Team Magma do with a _meteorite_?

_*The professor pauses. He turns bright red and stands up to his full height. The one thing that sucks about being eleven is how many adults you keep running into on this journey who try to use their stature to intimidate you. It’s practically a cliché at this point. *_

_*He’s shouting now. *_

_WHY ARE WE YELLING?_

**Honestly, Honey, I don’t know either.**

**Mt. Chimney is the largest _active_ volcano in the hemisphere. The meteorite could theoretically act as a battery that could cause a massive seismic event. The results would be catastrophic! The soot alone could reach all the way to Unova and possibly black out the sun and—**

_*At this your sight goes twofold. Of course, a vision starts now when you weren’t trying to force it._

_The other you is back at the base of Mt. Chimney eavesdropping on Doug and Joe… *_

_*The vision shifts and you’re standing at the edge of the volcano’s crater watching the other you frantically pushing buttons on some machine with the meteorite glowing red in a glass dome atop of it._

_“8, 2, 8, 7, 3, 4, 1…” he chants, but his fingers aren’t as fast as his voice. The dome glows orange, lava explodes at your side, and everything turns into static*_

**That’s to say nothing of the—**

We’ll do it.

**What?**

**Yeah, what?**

Professor, get home as fast as you can. I need a moment.

_*Professor gives you an uncertain look but ambles off in the direction of the cave’s exit. Your team is staring at you. *_

**What did you see?**

The volcano erupting because I wasn’t fast enough.

**But Tommy, your visions _don’t_ happen. We’ve been over that too many times by now.**

Yeah, but… but my visions are still guiding us. They’re clues to what might be and each of those situations are playing out different scenarios of the same overall story.

**Tommy, what are you saying?**

What specifically happens doesn’t matter, because the end result is always the same.

_*You sit down on the cave floor. This buzzing, itching energy suddenly feels as though it is crawling around and out of your body, reaching tendrils out in all directions. *_

**So, you’re saying we have no agency in the greater scheme of things?**

Pretty much.

**That’s pretty heavy, Tommy.**

Yup.

**But that can’t be right, can it?**

_*Ellen Jr. sits down too. Two tendrils of energy coil themselves around her arm. She looks pensive. *_

**I… think I’m with Tommy on this one.**

**Not you too!**

**It’s just… maybe there are some things that are inevitable?**

_ Like the destruction of Valenca? _

_*Regina lands on the ground as a tendril lashes itself around her waist. And in the corner of your eyes you see static fizzing and cracks in the world. *_

**Eliza, you have to help me out here. **

**Despair.**

**I can see that, but what can we do about it?**

**… Despair.**

_*Eliza lays down too. No tendrils attach themselves to her. *_

**Oh, hell no. I—no! We are not giving up here!**

We aren’t giving up.

**What?**

**We’ve just resigned ourselves to the fact that we have no agency.**

**But that’s not true!**

_ Yes, it is Irwin. Think about it. _

**I am! This is crazy!**

**EXCUSE ME. IF I MAY CUT IN…**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> riddle me this: is this crazy?
> 
> bonus round: how long will it take me to type and color the next two chapters?


End file.
